Our Lives Will Change Forever
by The Reaper Only
Summary: What if Morgana encounter another human months before Akira move to Tokyo? What if this person had already form the Phantoms Thieves before and they were only seen as a rumor? Kagura Kobayashi is the founding member of the Phantom Thieves and the first person to enter the Metaverse.
1. Prologue: Arrest

_**So just you know, some things will be changed in the story. This is more like a "What if" scenario, so no everything will be the same as the game, at least in the beginning and the middle of the game. The story will be from my Oc POV and will be focus on her, but Joker will still be the protagonist because he's a badass XD**_

 _ **Pairing will be decided later. For the moment it might be YusukexOc and AkiraxHaru, but i won't focus on them until the middle of the story. So, leave a review if you like it.**_

 ** _Summary: What if Morgana encounter another human months before Akira move to Tokyo? What if this person had already form the Phantoms Thieves before and they were only seen as a rumor? Kagura Kobayashi is the founding member of the Phantom Thieves and the first person to enter the Metaverse._**

* * *

 ** _Prologue: The Arrest_**

 _"The world is not as it should be. It's filled with distortion, and "ruin" can no longer be avoided... Those who oppose fate and desire change... From time to time, they were reffered to as Tricksters... You are the Trickster, Now is the time to rise against the abyss of distortion"_

The casino was crowded, a lot of people were gambling and didn't care about what the people next to them were saying or talking about. Every single person in the casino was too busy to care about the person next to them, they were thinking only on themselves and the number of the dice, but that was about to change. The alarm of the casino could be heard everywhere in the building. Every single person stops playing when the alarm reaches their ears. At that moment they saw the men from the security staff walking around the place, looking around, searching for something... More likely, for someone. Yes, they were looking for someone and that someone was watching them from above. On top of the chandelier, there was a woman with a Red top hat and a long red hair that was tied in a ponytail, she was wearing a white Cravat blouse with red Cravat tie, a black and red vex skirt with black tights and black high heels boots. She had a long darkred scarf around her neck and a white mask was covering all her face, the mask have a Clown's makeup with a creepy smile painted in black across her mask and black tears. She had a briefcase with her. The Security staff saw her and so did all the people that were gambling. The woman smirk behind her mask and jump to the other chandelier, escaping from the security staff. She could hear voices coming from her earpieces as she run away.

"Good. Now get running!"

"This is our only chance!"

"Stay calm! You can get away now!"

"We'll retrieve the briefcase on our end"

"Be careful, Clown, and focus on getting away" Out of nowhere, another transmission could be heard.

"... Suspects... Not... Confirmed... Hold... Your... Positions..."

"Hm...? What was that...?" One of Joker's teammate ask.

"Don't worry about us, Clown. Just concentrate on getting away!" The woman known as "Clown" jump from chandelier to chandelier, escaping from the security staff. Her teammates keep talking through her earpiece. "But i have to say, showing yourself above that crowd earlier was an excellent move. Nice work, Clown"

"I did it so i can show how amazing i can be" She said

"Haha, I bet skull wouldn't pull it off that smoothly"

"This happens because you have no sense for aesthetics"

"Nobody asked you, Inari!"

"At least Skull isn't completely useless"

"Shut up, Joker!" Clown reaches the second floor through the chandeliers. Once there, she encounters two guards that turn into monsters with purple masks in front of her. One of them jumps behind her from another floor, Clown turns around and meet him with a smirk. "Take 'em down, Clown!" She jump right at him and rip off the monster's mask. She kicks him away and transform into a big monster resembling a bull, but mixed with a snake and some other animal. Clown rips off her mask and yell...

"Kuma Lisa!" She yells and behind her appear a shadow resembling a fox with the same clothes she was wearing, except she high heels boots and her skirt was a normal one, the fox also had a Pocket Watch in her right hand. "Grydyne!" Electricity surrounded the monster and in the blink of an eye, an unknown force push him against the ground, crushing him and killing him in the process. Clown's mask reappears as soon as the shadow disappear.

"Good. You defeat it with ease"

"There's more of them! Be careful!" More guards appear, also wearing masks. They attack Clown, but she dodges them with ease and jump to the higher floor. "Clown, behind you! Go through that door!" She did as they told her and run through the door behind her. She ends up in the hallways where only authorized personnel can enter. She avoids every single guard in silence and stay in the shadows until she saw her chance to escape. She reaches the second floor and go back to the main hall.

"Why did you stop? Something wrong, Clown? The exit should be up ahead" Clown heard through the earpiece. On the other side of the floor was a giant window. That was her only exit available.

"Through there...?" She asked.

"Nnh...! That's just how it is. After that commotion, the bottom floor's completely closed off. Hey, can you make it!?"

"It's not about if i can, i will make it" Said Clown. "What's life without risking it a little?"

"Hehe... I bet you'll do it without thinking it too much" Clown heard the security staff behind her. They point at her withtheir guns, they were ready to shoot at her.

"Over there! There's nowhere to run!" One of them yell. Clown smirk, jump and run on top of the railing of the balcony. Once she reaches the window, she stops in front of it and smile at her pursuers.

"See ya losers" She said and jump through the window.

"Ha, What a showoff, you're so reckless. You know that?"

"Not as much as Joker" Clown answers and land on the ground. The broken glass fall behind her. Clown stands up and multiple lights blind her, they were pointing at her. It took her a couple of second to recognize them. All the lights were coming from police cars. Clown saw a bunch of officers in front of her, she was surrounded.

"Enemies, here!?"

"What's wrong!?"

"These reading... It can't be!"

"What happened!?"

"An Ambush!?"

"Clown, can you handle this!?" Clown hears her teammates talking through the earpiece. She was trying to figure it out how to escape from this situation, then a voice raise above all of them. It was Joker's voice.

"Clown... Get the hell out of there, RUN!" He yells, something he never do, and Clown didn't think. She start running, she saw a ladder and climb it while looking down at the police. She then looks back up and saw more of them points their guns right at her face. The Cop in front of her hit her with the back of his gun and Clown let go of the latter and fall right in the ground. A large group of cops holds her down.

"Suspect secure!" One of them yells.

"Didn't expect to find some woman..." An Officer wearing a suit was in front of Clown. He knelt in front of her and grab her by the hair. "You have your teammate to thank for this... You were sold out"

"W-What?" Clown asks. "Th-That can't be..."

"But it is lady... Take her away" He said and leave.

"Suspect confirm. Cuff her!" The police cuff her and take her to a police car...

* * *

Three men were standing in front of the woman, she was sitting in a chair with her hands cuffed. She was unconscious for the moment. Her clothes she had before were gone, know she was wearing only a red jacket, white shirt and a long black skirt, her high heels were replaced by simple white shoes. She was wearing glasses, but those were a little broken. Next to her chair there was an empty syringe. The woman's hair was messier than earlier.

"Guess the drug was too strong..." One of the man said. "Wake her up" He said and one of the men throw a bucket of water in her face. She moves a little and eventually saw the three men standing in front of her. She look around and try to move her hand, but notice the handcuffs. "No dozing off"

"... What... Where am i...?" She said and try to break free. "My hands... Let me go, now!" She yells at them.

"You still don't get it, do you princess?" The man in front of her seat. "Give it up!" He then kicks her in the stomach and break the wooden chair in the process. The woman falls to the floor and cough. The man step on her head. "Come on, cooperate. Or what, you want another shot?" She saw the camera for a moment, it was recording everything. The man looks at the camera too. "Huh? What about the camera? Are you thinking it can be used as video evidence?" The man stops and kneel in front of her, only to grab her by the hair. The woman didn't answer at all, she remains silent while looking at him in the eyes. "Didn't you hear my question? Answer!" The man yell and kick her in the stomach. He gets away from her and one of the men that was with him give him a clipboard. He read the information out loud. "Obstruction of justice, blackmail, defamation, possession of weapons... Manslaughter too, yeah? Talk about the works. To think that all those crimes were led by a girl like you... And you seemed to be enjoying every second of it... Huh?" The woman look away from the men for a moment.

"Enjoying it...?" She thought. "Yeah... I might... But for the moment i can't remember. Everything's hazy" She didn't say a thing. The man shakes his head.

"You should know your place" He said and order the others to take out her handcuffs. Once she was free, she was put in a corner and the man that was talking to her give her a clipboard. "Sign here. It's a confession under your name"

"... Fuck you, i'm not signing anything" She said.

"I see... I need your hand to sign this, but..." The man step on her right leg. The woman feels a lot of pain. He put all his weight on his leg, he didn't care if he breaks her leg. "I don't care if you end up losing a leg"

"Fuck you! Let go of my leg or i'll make you regret it!" She yells at him and the man punches her in the face. "Do you enjoy this? I bet you do... Look like hitting women are your thing... You are sick" The man ignore her and keep adding weight to his leg.

"If you want this to end soon, then you better sign this" He give her the clipboard again and this time she takes it. The man takes out a pen from his pocket and look at her right in the eyes. "Don't expect to walk out of here in one piece. We're going to make you understand... One must take full responsibility for their actions" She takes the pen and sign without thinking it twice. She wrote Kagura Kobayashi and give him back the clipboard.

"... Happy?"

"Yes" He said and punch her again. That punch knocks her out...

* * *

Kagura Kobayashi wakes up alone in the room, she was sitting in the chair, in front of her there was a table. She had her hands free, but there was nothing she could do now, all she can do now is wait and see what happen next. She hears a little discussion from outside the room. After a couple of minutes someone enters the room, it was a tall woman with long gray hair asymmetrically parted on her right side and brown eyes. She wears a black business suit with a black turtleneck. Kagura knew who she was, the woman that enters was surprised to see her there. She sat down in front of her and didn't look at her, looks like she was disappointed.

"... I didn't expect it'd be you, Kobayashi" She said. "You'll be answering my questions this time"

"I'm sorry, Sae, i didn't want you to find it out this way at all, but things got out of hand... I think. I can barely remember"

"What do you mean you can't...?" Sae Niijima look around and saw an empty syringe. "Those bastards... How could they do something like that to you? That's unforgivable" Sae look at Kagura to her eyes. "It seems you've been through a lot. Almost anything can happen here and i can't stop them. That's why i need you to answer me honestly. I don't have much time either" Sae sighs before asking. "What was your objective? Why did you cause such a major incident? I didn't think it was a prank from the get-go, but i couldn't assemble a case for prosecution. It's because i couldn't figure out the method behind it"

"... Well, it's not that simple, Sae" Said Kagura. "It's been four years and there are things that i still don't understand, but sometimes you only have to accept the reality, what life throws at you and take it as real"

"There's no way i could be convinced of such a... "World" just by reading the reports. It seems you're coherent, so tell me... When and where did you find out about that world? How is it even possible to steal another's heart? Now, tell me your account of everything. Start from the very beginning..." Said Sae. Kagura sighs.

"From the very beginning... That brings me some old memories. We both know when all this started. That day four years ago... Is when all begins... I was just an ordinary student, until i found that weird app..."


	2. From the very beginning

**The following chapters will be about my OC, after that the game begins. If some of you are asking about the "grydyne" skill. It was a gravity skill in the first persona and both persona 2. I was a little disappointed that they didn't added that skill, but they make it up with the nuclear skills. Those are good too.**

Please, leave a review :D

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1**_ : **_From the very beginning_**

 _Quoting Lovecraft: "Unhappy is he to whom the memories of childhood bring only fear and sadness". That's how i feel, every time i close my eyes and look back at the past, my childhood, my family... It wasn't what it should've been. I grew up in a house with only my mother taking care of me, my father abandons my mother when she was pregnant, i never meet my father and to be honest i don't want to know who he is. My mother raises me the best she could._

 _When i was 8 years old everything got worse. My mother lost her job and we were trying our best to save money. Still, she always had a smile on her face, she told me everyday that eventually our situation in going to get better and that i don't need to worry about it. I believe her, because it was the only thing i could do. After a couple of years, our situation did get better, but we still had money problems. I will admit that i was feeling bad for her, it hurts me to see her everyday coming back from work, she was tired and barely had any time to spend with me. I was, indeed, Unhappy with my life._

 _I don't know exactly when it happens, but at some points my mother end up owing money to someone dangerous... I was oblivious of that situation until he came to our house and remember my mother that she had a debt. Since then she tries harder to get the money, she even got two or three jobs per day... Takeshi Ogata was the name of the man and he wasn't afraid to threaten my mother. I was scared of him. One day everything get out of hands and that's where everything starts..._

* * *

 _ **6/20 Wednesday, 2012**_

That day i was in the entrance of my school. I was now 13 and i was in 8th grade in middle school, everyone there were friendly, but not all of them. The teachers didn't really care about the students, there were some that did care, but most of them were adults that only think of themselves, the Principal was the worst of them all. I was hoping that the High School was better. I had a few friends in school, the first day i enter i make some friends so i won't get lonely, although i don't really need them at all. Still, i do need friends, even if it's a pain. I was stepping in front of the school's gate and look at the building, i really didn't want to enter that day, i was tired. Last night i didn't sleep, i was awake all night reading a horror novel. I didn't sleep because i was scared, to the contrary, i was actually enjoying it. H.P. Lovecraft had become my favorite author at that point and i couldn't stop reading his novel and getting a little obsessed with him. Something that my mother didn't approve, but i didn't care. I sigh and enter school.

I get to my class and sit down at my desk, i was actually one of the few students there at the moment. I grab my book from my bag and keep reading. I couldn't stop. Some of the kids looking at me, give me a weird look, like i was some kind of weird person and avoid me. Maybe it was because of the cover of the book, it had Cthulhu on it alongside with Lovecraft. It wasn't a pretty cover, but it catches the eyes. I shrug and ignore them, just like i always do. I didn't care about it, i was better alone.

Everyone else gets to the classroom and school started. That day was really slow, so slow i feel like time itself was starting to slow down and eventually stop. School ended without any problems at all, I kept my book in my bag and stand up from my desk, ready to go back home. Some of my "friends" get in my way to talk with me.

"Hey, Kagura" A boy come to me. His name was Subaru. He was with a couple of boys and girls. "Today is Kanna's birthday, she invites you to the party. Are you coming?" He asks with a smile on his face. I smile at him and shake my head.

"Sorry, today i have to go home earlier. I need to help Mom with something" I lie to them. I actually didn't want to spend my time in the birthday party of a girl i barely know. I could tell him the truth, but i prefer to lie because i don't want to look like a bad person. I've become a pretty convincing liar. Not even my mother could tell when i lie. I grab my bag and go to the entrance, but stopped when i saw Makoto Niijima in the entrance, waiting for something. I stop next to her. She saw me and smiled at me.

"Kagura, it's nice to see you" She said. "My father is going to pick me up, do you want him to take you home?" She asked. Makoto and i are friends. At least she considers me a friend. I don't think of her as a friend, but i like to talk with her because both of us like to read a lot and we often tend to compare our test scores. Makoto always wins, but i don't fall behind. My score is as high as hers.

"... Sure" I said and we both wait in the entrance. No one says a word for at least a couple of minutes. Makoto looks at me before asking something.

"What book are you reading now?" She asked

"I'm reading a Compilation book of H.P. Lovecraft. It's mostly horror" I explain. "But i know that you don't like that at all. Those things scare you, don't they?"

"... Yes" Makoto didn't want to admit it, but she doesn't like horror novels or movies, she gets scared pretty easily. After a couple of minutes, a car stopped in front of us. Makoto's father steps outside the car and smile at us.

"Are you ready to go Makoto?" He asks and look at me. "Hello, Kagura. Do you want me to take you home?"

"Yes, please" I said and get in the car with Makoto. We sit down in the back seats and Makoto's father take us home. He looks at us through the rear-view mirror.

"So, Kagura... How's your mother doing?" He asks. I didn't answer him right away, i take my time.

"She's fine... She got another job"

"Another...? How many does she have?"

"... Three, i think" I answer. "She told me she was doing pretty well"

"... I see" Makoto's father knew my mother for a while, he was clearly worried about her. "Please, tell her that If she needs anything she can call me"

"Sure... Thanks" I take out my book and read where i left. We arrive to Yongen-Jaya. I lived in a little house in Yongen-Jaya, the house was in one of the many alleys, to be more specific, my house was next to the old movie theater. I got home a little earlier than usual thanks to Makoto's father. He parked in front of my house and i open the door.

"See you tomorrow, Kagura" Said Makoto.

"Goodbye, Makoto. See you tomorrow" I say goodbye and get out of the car. Once i get to the door, the car leaves. I open the door and i was welcomed by an argument. Inside the house, my mother was talking with a man wearing a white business suit. The man looks at me right in the eyes as soon i enter the house. He smiles and turns to my mother.

"Speaking of the devil" He said and walk toward me. He pat me in the head and i felt really uncomfortable. "Alright, Naomi, this is what is going to happen. You will pay the debt, like it or not. I will give you plenty of time to get the money, don't worry about it, but have in mind this" He grabs me by the hair. "The more you wait, the more is likely to something to happen to your little girl over here" He let me go and push me toward my mother. "So... No pressure" He wink at her and open the door to leave. Before that, he stops and thought about something. "You know what... Maybe i'm giving you a lot of time. What about a week?" He asks

"One week...?" My mother asks.

"You owe me... How much was it? 550.000 yens?"

"Bu-But it was less than that..." She said

"The more you wait, the more it will go up... That's why i'm giving you a time limit. Bring me 400.000 yens in two weeks or else..." He gives her a smile and leave the house. My mother was scared and so was i"

* * *

 _Sae was listening to everything that Kagura was saying. She stops for a moment and Sae speak up._

 _"Takeshi Ogata" She said. Sae leave a picture of Takeshi on the table, alongside with a Calling Card. "He was the first person to ever receive a Calling card from the Phantoms Thieves. There was no doubt that this man was involved in illegal business, like drug dealer, prostitution and blackmail. He even had corrupted cops on his side, that was one of the reasons he could do whatever he wanted, most of the police were oblivious of him and the ones he knew were bribed. He had control over some areas in Shibuya, Shinjuku and Akihabara. To think that your mother got involved with a man like him... That's the reason why you target him?"_

 _"... That's the main reason" Kagura answered. "Mom couldn't get the money in that time, it was impossible... Two days had passed since that day and she collapse in her work... I didn't knew what to do. I couldn't say a thing about Takeshi, if i open my mouth, he would've done something to me and my mother. I was afraid, that's why i didn't say a thing to your father. I'm sure he couldn't have done something about it"_

 _"..." Sae didn't speak._

 _"After that... It happens. I enter that world... And everything changes forever"_

* * *

 _ **6/22 Friday, 2012**_

I was sitting outside my mother's room. Makoto's father take me to the hospital where my mother was hospitalized. I couldn't enter there yet, for some reason i was getting nervous the more i wait. My hands were playing with my bag and my eyes were focused on a window with a little crack on it. The door open and Makoto's father gets out. He looks at me.

"You can go in now, she's awake" He pat my head and i enter. I saw my mother laying in the bed, she was pale. She didn't look happy, but when she saw me, she smile at me, but i didn't. I hate when she pretends to be happy. I couldn't say how hypocrite she was because i was like her. The difference was that i'm more of a compulsive liar.

"Mom, what happened?" I asked her. "Are you alright?"

"Yes... But i might stay here for a while" She said with a sad look. "... What am i going to do?" She asks to no one in particular. She remains in silence for a while. "Kagura, Niijima is going to take care of you for a while. Until then, i'll stay here... Don't worry about Takeshi. I'll think of something"

"Bu-But..." I wanted to say something, but i didn't. i didn't matter what i say, it won't change anything. I couldn't do anything, i was a small, little girl. My mother points at her phone in the table.

"Take my phone, i can't have it here" I take her phone and put it in my bag. Niijima enter the room and stay by the door, waiting for me.

"The hours for visitor is going to end. We have to leave for today, Kagura" He said and take my hand. I didn't resist and walk with him. "Don't worry about her, Naomi. She will be fine"

"I know she will" My mother and smile said goodbye. I remember going inside Niijima's car and feeling useless. I felt completely useless. The hours passed and i end up in Niijima's house. Makoto was there, reading a textbook while i just look at the clock. I didn't want to read, or watch TV. I wasn't in the mood to do anything. I grab my mother's phone and look at it for a moment. The phone vibrate for a moment, it was like a message had arrived, but nothing shows up. Instead, there was a weird icon that pops out in the middle of the menu, it was red and looked like an eye with a star in the middle.

"What's this?" I ask myself. Before touching at the icon, Niijima call me and Makoto. Dinner was ready. I leave the phone in my bag and go to have dinner first...

* * *

 _ **6/23 Saturday, 2012**_

I went to school that day and just like always it passed pretty quickly. That day i decided to go to Shibuya for a while, i wanted to buy a book there. I said Makoto that i was going to Shibuya and that i'll be in home in time. We parted ways and i head to Shibuya. Once there i enter the Bookstore and look at the books that were on sale. My eyes were focused on the books until something vibrate inside my bag. I look inside and i forgot that i left my mother's phone in my bag. Looks like it was the app again. I touch the icon and some kind of navigation app came out.

"Please, enter navigation information" Said the app. I was a little confused. It was asking me for a name, a place and... A distortion. I didn't knew what that even means. I look around and there was no one else in the store except the owner. I decided to play a little with the app and see what happen. I walk to the horror section of the store and enter random information.

"Let's see... A navigation app. On top of that, looks like i can only enter information through voice, i can't write..." I look around again and said some random words into the phone. "Tokyo...?" I said and out of nowhere, everything around me turn purple for a moment. I felt lightheaded for a moment. "Wha-What!?" I let go of the phone and it fall to the ground.

"Three candidates found" Said the app.

"Three...? What does that mean?" I don't know what just happened. For a moment i saw purple and then everything was back to normal. I grab the phone again.

"Please, introduce a name and a distortion" Said the app.

"Name? Like a person's name?" I ask, but the app didn't answer back. Of course i was asking too much. It was an app, it wasn't alive at all. I decided to try it out, even though i was starting to freak out a little. "Let's see... Naomi Kobayashi?"

"No candidates found" Said the app.

"All right, looks like it's a person's name. At least didn't deny it... Kagura Kobayashi?"

"No candidates found" Said again

"Makoto Niijima?"

"No candidates found"

"... What about Takeshi Obata?" I asked. I wasn't expecting anything, but out of nowhere everything turn purple again. Looks like it was a hit.

"Name: Takeshi Obata... Place: Tokyo... Please enter a distortion..." Said the app.

"... Takeshi" I said. "That bastard... If it wasn't for him, Mom won't be in the hospital... He only cares about the money, i hate people that only care about wealth, they think they are so high and mighty. Looking down at the people in their golden towers while the others suffer because of them... I wish there was something i could do about it... I want Takeshi to leave us alone" Everything turn purple again and the phone vibrate.

"Location founded" Said the app. I look at the phone. "Takeshi Ogata... Tokyo... Mighty Gold Tower... Beginning Navigation"

"Beginning Navigation...? What does that mean?" I asked and everything starts to change around me. Everything just started to distort. The bookstore was fine at one moment and out of nowhere start to decay, like it was a really old building falling to pieces. I look around and found myself in some kind of distorted version of Shibuya. It was like the apocalypse had arrived and everything was destroyed... "What is happening!?" I yell without thinking. I get out of the store and look at the sky, it was completely red. "Where am i...?" I ask to myself. I look at the phone.

"Current location: Metaverse, Mighty Gold Tower in 20 meters" Said the app.

"Gold Tower? But i don't see a Gold tower... All i see is rotting buildings and..." I look around and my eyes lay in a Golden Tower near the station. The tower was gigantic. It looked like the Space Needle in Seattle, only that this one was made of gold, it was much bigger, both in height and size and there were cameras all over the tower watching over the city. I start shaken, i couldn't believe what i had in front of me. "How is this even possible...? Where am i?" I asks myself. I take a deep breath and try to calm myself. "Did this app bring me here...? I can't believe it, this can't be real"

I quit complaining about it and enter the tower without thinking about it. Inside the tower, everything was made of gold, just like the outside. The lobby was full of luxurious objects and even a car. I keep walking and found myself in the middle of the lobby. I look at my mother's phone and then to the place where i was standing.

"Hello? Is anybody here?" I asked, but no one answers. I saw an elevator, the doors were open so i enter without hesitation, i really shouldn't have gone there, but i did it anyway. The doors closed behind me and take me to the second floor. The elevator opens the doors and i step outside of it, i look around, i was in the middle of a giant corridor, full of golden statues of women and money was glued to the walls. I decided to go to the left and keep asking if someone was there, but again, no one answer me. After a couple of minutes of walking in the corridor, i find the end, a big golden door. I knocked the door, but no one answer. I tried to open it, but it didn't budge. I push the door again, but it was closed. I turn around and decided to keep looking around until i heard something coming down the corridor. I heard several footsteps and i hide behind one of the golden statue. I saw two security guards walking down the corridor, the two men were wearing purple masks resembling a dollar symbol. I didn't know where to go, there wasn't anywhere to go.

My heart was beating fast. I actually didn't want to be found by does guys. They look really scary and i was scared, i was confused, i didn't know what i was getting myself into. It was crazy. I take a deep breath and run away from them. They saw me and chase after me.

"An intruder!" Say one of them. "Don't let her escape!" I keep running until i saw the stairs. I go down to the lobby and run as fast as i could to do the door, but to my surprise the door was closed up with a chain. I stop in front of the door and punch it. The guards grab me by the hair and throw me to the floor in the middle of the lobby.

"Please... Just let me go... I don't know what's going on" I said. I heard footsteps behind me. I look back and my eyes widen as i see Takeshi wearing a golden business suit and his black hair was replaced by a hair made of gold. Even his eyes were glowing yellow, like they were made of gold.

" **Well, well, well. Look who decide to pay me a visit to the tower** " He said with a deep voice. " **Do you have the money so soon...? Or are you here to beg for more time?** "

"Ta-Takeshi!? What is happening? What is this place?" I asked, i wanted answers, but looks like i wouldn't get them so easily.

" **What are you talking about? This is MY tower, my WORLD. A place where i can do whatever i want without consequences. I'm truly free here... You owe me money and you better pay now** "

"But... But i don't have any money! Mom is in the hospital and i can't get your money. I can't..."

" **You're just like your mother** " He said with an angry face. " **A Worthless Bitch that can't do anything right. Your mother gives away a lot in order to give you all the things you wanted. Those books, your clothes, the food you eat and even the house you live in. All those things you have, you have them because of me, your mother the only thing she had to do was to spend some time with me and my men in order to get the money... And she enjoys every second of it** "

"... What?" I didn't understand what he just said, i didn't want to understand. Deep down i knew what he meant, but i wish with all my heart that it wasn't true. "That not true!" I said, but he starts to laugh like crazy.

" **Oh, but it is. Your mother was my bitch for a night... What about you pay the debt in the same way she did? Of course, selling you to someone could prove to be very difficult** " The guards grab me and push me against the floor. Takeshi stand in front of me and kneel, only to look at me right in the eyes. **"In this world the only thing you need to do is to keep your mouth shut and follow my orders. I'm the ruler of this city and you should treat me as such** "

"I will never do that!" I yell at him. "I will never let you take control over my life or my mother's life! I will stop you, even if i have to stain my hands with your blood and make you beg for your life. I'm nobody's pet! I'm a human being, you son of a bitch!" At that moment i let all my frustration out. For the first time i show my anger and when i did i heard her voice.

" ** _Fufufu, How brave of you... You finally break the chains of your true self"_** A woman's voice said inside my head. I felt a stabbing pain in my head, it was like something was trying to break my brain into pieces with a knife. " _ **You always kept quiet and never take action, you let others do whatever they want, thinking that your opinion or what you want don't actually matter, but it was a lie. You wanted to scream at the world, you want to show them how you really are... You want true freedom? Then take out that boring mask of yours and show the world how you really are, My Trickster**_ " The pain got worst be the second. I scream, i wanted the pain to go away, but it didn't. " _ **I am thou... Thou art I... Call my name and realize yourself from the chains of society!**_ " The guards were thrown away by an invisible force. I stand up and the pain started to go away.

"I won't hold back anymore... I had enough of it. I will take you out and free myself from your oppression!" A mask appears on my face. It was a white mask that covers all my face, with a Clown's makeup and a creepy smile painted in black across all the mask and black tears coming out of my eyes.

" _ **The contract has been sealed. Now show the world! Show them what freedom looks like!**_ " The voice inside my head yell.

"I will... Come to me, Kuma Lisa!" I grab my mask and without hesitation i rip it out of my face. I felt my skin being ripped out as well and a ton of blood came out. I scream in pain and i explode cover in blue fire. Takeshi and the guards get away from me. As soon the blue fire leaves my body, i notice that my clothes changed. I had a Red top hat and my red hair was tied in a ponytail, I was wearing a white Cravat blouse with red Cravat tie, a black and red vex skirt with black tights and black high heels boots, I also had a long dark red scarf around my neck. Above me, a monster appears. It was a fox with the same clothes i was wearing, except she didn't wear the high heels boots and her skirt was a normal one, the fox also had a Pocket Watch in her right hand. I smile like a crazy person when i felt the power running through my whole body. It felt incredible, i can't actually describe it.

" **WHAT!? WHAT IS THAT!?** " Takeshi yells at me. " **YoU MONSTER!** "

"Monster...?" I ask and smile at him. "Monster are those who do despicable things to people... I'm not a monster. I'm just an innocent little girl that will beat you to death if i had to in order to save my and my mother's future"

" **GUARDS!** " Takeshi scream. The guards surrounded me. " **KILL HER!** " As soon as he gives the order, the guards transformed into monsters. They transform into little snowmen. " **YOU WON'T GET OUT OF HERE ALIVE, KAGURA!** "

"We'll see about that" I said. "Kuma Lisa! Crush them!" Kuma lisa point at the monster in front of me and click her fingers. Electricity surrounds the enemies and an invisible force crush them against the floor, killing them in one move. "You are next" I said. Takeshi was now scared of me. He turn around and run away. I try to follow him, but i fall. I felt tired. "Now!? Dammit! Come back here you coward!"

" _ **You are tired...**_ " Said Kuma Lisa. " _ **Leave him be... For now. You should get out of here**_ "

"..." I stand up and didn't say a thing. I just did what Kuma Lisa said and leave the tower. As soon i step outside of the tower, i found myself in the middle of the central street in Shibuya. It was destroyed. Everything was back to normal. "What...? What just happened?" I take out my mother's phone and the app speak to me.

" _You have returned to the real world, Welcome Back_ " Said the app.

"... You have to be kidding me" I look at the hour, it was late. "I need to go back or Niijima is going to get mad at me... But i don't actually care about that" I smile and go back to the bookstore. I buy a new horror novel and go back to Niijima's house. Just like i expected, he got mad at me, but not as much i was expecting. I slept on the couch, just like yesterday because there wasn't another bed. I didn't want to sleep with Makoto, because i prefer to give her space. To my surprise, she appears in front of me and lay on the couch with me. "What are you doing?" I asked.

"I didn't want you to be alone tonight" She said. "I seem a little different"

"... Different?" I asked. "How?"

"... I don't know. Maybe I'm imagining things. I hope your mother gets well soon"

"Me too, Makoto... Let's go back to sleep, i'm tired" I fall sleep really quickly. I didn't dream... Instead, something else happens. A blue butterfly flies over me and guide me to a blue door. I open it and i found myself in a room without walls, only white as far as my eyes could see. The floor was blue and it appears that the room itself was floating in the vast white void that could be seen. In front of me, there was a tall man wearing a mask. His mask has the image of a violet butterfly wing on the right side of his face and the eyeholes do not show his pupils. He also wears a suit consisting of a black shirt and tie, a white blazer and white pants with black dress shoes. He also has long, black hair tied up in a ponytail. I walk toward him and he bows to me. Something that i wasn't expecting.

" _Welcome. It's a pleasure to meet you... I am Philemon a dweller in the rift between consciousness and unconsciousness. Now, a simple test... Can you state your name, little girl?_ "


	3. The Metaverse

_**Chapter 2: The Metaverse**_

The man in front of me asked my name. I was confused, i wanted to ask him where i was, but i decided to actually answer his question first. Only because he seems like a gentleman and he told me his name first, even though it was a weird name. I take a deep breath and answer him.

"My name is Kagura Kobayashi..." I said my name out loud. For some reason i feel like he was smiling at me behind his mask.

" _Splendid... There aren't many that can remember their identity within this domain. It seems you passed that test_ " Said Philemon with a calm voice.

"To tell you the truth... It wasn't a hard test" I said. "It's this a dream?"

" _Currently, you are fast sleep in the real world. I summoned you here while you were sleeping. This visit of yours is in fact, a dream. But keep in mind that all this is actually happening, i am not a product of your imagination_ " Philemon explains to me.

"I see... I think i understand what is happening, but why did you bring me here?" I finally ask him.

" _There are important matters that i need to discuss with you, and only you. Today, you have entered the Metaverse. You are the first human being to ever enter such a world... A world born from humanity distorted hearts and wishes. I've been keeping an eye in this Metaverse and i choose you to make a change in the world_ "

"Change... The World?" I asked. "Wait... Did you take me to that world?"

" _I have indeed given you the means to travel to that world. It was a coincidence that you end up in the Metaverse so quickly. You had surpassed my expectations and on top of that, you had taken out your false mask and accept your true self... Your Persona_ " Philemon extends his hand and Kuma Lisa appear on top of his hand. " _The Trickster of the Woods, Kuma Lisa. A Fox depicted as both clever and ravenous, but as clever as she is, she sometimes let her desires take the best of her and sometimes she fails thanks to that. Kuma Lisa is the soul of rebellion that reside within you. The power that will help you to accomplish your goals_ "

"... But what's a Persona? Are you saying that she's a part of me?"

" _Yes, a Persona is, in other words, a Mask. An armor of the heart when confronting worldly matters. A Persona is... The real You_ "

"... It will take me some time to understand that... This is too much" I grab my head, i felt lightheaded.

" _Fear not, Kagura. You'll understand everything eventually. For now, there's something that you need to do... And involves the man you rebel against_ "

"Takeshi"

" _Yes. In order to change the world, there are places in the Metaverse, known as "Palaces". A Palace is a manifestation of "distortion", strong negative and corrupt thoughts that warp the perceptions of people into a hazard for themselves and others. I other words, the palace is how they see the world around them, it's their cognition of the world. Takeshi Ogata's heart is completely distorted, he's making a damage to the world and the future of peoples, including yours. If you don't do something about it, your future will be lost forever. You have to steal his desires, that is the only way to change Takeshi's heart and make him regret for his actions... But we'll leave that for another occasion, it's time for you to wake up_ "

"Wake... Up? Wait! Does this mean that i can make Takeshi to forget about the debt?"

" _Yes... But make sure to go back to his palace again and find his treasure... Once you do, we'll talk again... But be careful and more importantly, you have three days to do it. Time is slipping away, Kagura Kobayashi..._ " He said and everything around me turn black and i disappear...

* * *

 _ **6/24 Sunday, 2012**_

I open my eyes and look at the ceiling. I blink a couple of times and look around, Makoto was already making breakfast. His father wasn't anywhere to be found, he must've gone to work already. I get up and sit at the table, Makoto brings me a tea and a toasted bread.

"Thanks" I said to her. "Did your father go to work?"

"Yes, but he'll be back for lunch" Said Makoto.

"I see..." I yawn. "What are you going to do today?"

"Why do you ask?" Makoto was a little curious. "I was planning to stay here and finish one of the textbooks. Tests are coming up"

"I see... I'll go to Shibuya for a while. I'll be here for lunch" I said while i eat my breakfast.

"Alright, just be careful outside" Said Makoto. I take my time to change clothes and leave the house. I take the train to Shibuya and as soon i arrive to the Central Street i take out my mother's phone and select the app. If that dream was real and i can make my situation to change from bad to better, then i'll do it. I'll steal that monster's treasure. I touch the app and took me to the "Metaverse" Everything around me change again and i found myself again in front of the Golden Tower. I sigh and look at my feet, that's when i saw my clothes had changed and i had the mask already in my face. I jump in surprise.

"Woah! What's this?" I yell. "... It looks good on me... Specially the mask. I look so badass in this" I said while i look myself in the reflection of the phone

" _ **I must agree on that**_ " I heard a voice in my head again, it was Kuma Lisa.

"What...? Kuma Lisa?" I asked and i got her answer right away.

" _ **The one and only... Are you ready to destroy this place?**_ " She asked.

"... I had a weird dream with a weird man"

" _ **I know, i saw it too. Everything you see or experience i can see it too. We are in a sense, the same person**_ " Kuma Lisa explains. " _ **So we need to steal Takeshi's treasure... If i had to guess, then the treasure should be on the last floor**_ "

"Well, it's kinda obvious. It's a tower after all" I said and enter the tower. "We have three days to make this... If we fail, then... Dammit, I refuse to fail this!"

" _ **I agreed with you... We will win. Use me well, this power of mine is yours. Do it as you please, kill the enemies before you however you want... And if you have the time, steal money from them. I bet they have their pockets full of golden coins, fufufu**_ "

"Money... That would be kinda nice" I smile. "Let's do our best. We'll take Takeshi down!"

* * *

 _"... So Shibuya turned into a post-apocalyptic version of itself and there was a giant golden tower in it. Another world in which people's distorted cognitions take shape? Stealing treasure to change hearts?" Sae said. Kagura nodded. "... Are you hallucinating from an overdose? I won't put up with you if you're simply joking around" Sae didn't want to believe what Kagura was telling. Kagura sighs._

 _"It's up to you to believe in me or don't. I'm telling you the truth and only the truth. I might be a liar to some people... But i hate when i'm telling the truth and people don't actually believe a word of what i say. Even if it's sound crazy to you or everyone else, it's the truth and i will keep insisting that it's the truth... So, what will you do?" Kagura asks. Sae look at her watch._

 _"Honestly speaking, that all sounds absurd. It's hard to believe that this is even worth listening to... I'm going to have you continue the story. Takeshi Ogata receives a Calling Card from the Phantoms Thieves on Tuesday, 26 of 2012 and turn himself to the police the next day... What happened to him at that time?"_

 _"So you want to know how he receives the Calling Card? Well then..."_

* * *

As soon as i set a foot inside the tower, the guards come right at me to attack me. I rip out my mask and Kuma Lisa come out and kill them all in the blink of an eye. Kuma Lisa's ability were elemental based, gravity, fire and wind. I focused on go up to the last floor, every single enemy that appear before me disappear pretty easily. My Persona was really powerful and the more floors i go up, the more power i felt. It took me all day to reach the top. Of course, i had to leave as soon it was noon. I leave the Palace and go back home to have lunch with Makoto and her father. After that i come back to the Palace and keep fighting. I was tired by half of the building, but i didn't care, i wanted to end this as soon as possible, not for me, but for my mother. It took me a whole day to actually reach the last floor and as soon i arrive, i fall to my knees. I was really tired. It was my second day using a Persona and it actually took a lot of my energy. In front of me was the door to the final floor, instead of actually going on, i decided to come back tomorrow after school. If a big Shadow appears on the other side, i could've ended up dead. I leave the Metaverse that day and go back home. I take a shower and have dinner with Makoto, her father didn't come that night, he called and said he was busy that day and he won't take us to school tomorrow. We go to bed and sleep for today.

* * *

 _ **6/25 Monday, 2012**_

That day was actually pretty slow. I ended up falling sleep in my desk, my teacher hit me in the head with a white chalk and i wake up almost immediately. That day was boring, i won't deny that. As soon as school ended, i made my way to Shibuya again. I enter the Metaverse and go right to the last floor. Surprisingly enough, there wasn't any shadow in the rest of the floors. It was completely empty. I reach the last floor and open the door. Inside there was a really big room that looked like the lobby, but more empty and it was full of windows that show the city. I walk to one of the windows and saw the view. I sigh and look around the room, i was surprised that there wasn't any enemies nearby. I look up and saw a weird cloud floating on the ceiling.

"What is that...?" I asked. A butterfly appears in front of me and in the blink of an eye i appear in front of Philemon. I was once again in his room.

" _We meet again my friend_ " Said Philemon. " _Are you used to your Persona?_ "

"I am... What is happening?"

" _Don't worry, as we speak, the world outside is moving so slow that you could say that is stopped. I bring you here to explain to you what do you need to do now_ " Philemon walk toward me. " _The thing you saw in the ceiling of that room, that is Takeshi's treasure, but is not materialize. It need to materialize in order to steal it_ "

"... And how do i do that?" I asked.

" _Desires have no physical form by nature. You need to make the person in the real world to be aware that their desires are in fact a treasure_ " Philemon explain.

"Excuse me, but i kinda had a question... Does Takeshi know what is happening in the Palace? I was kinda confused on that one"

" _Do not worry. Ogata is oblivious of this. Every person who has a palace, don't know about it at all. It's their Shadows the only ones that knows_ "

"Oh, then that's good... So how do i make Takeshi aware of his treasure?"

" _Make him believe that his desire is going to be stolen. Once you do that, the treasure will finally materialize_ "

"... So i could "warn" him. I send him a card saying something like... "I'm going to steal your heart" or something like that. Is that correct?"

" _Yes. In order to steal the treasure, you must warn them that they are indeed in danger_ "

"... So i must send him a Calling Card... I'll have to come up with something and send him the card tomorrow"

" _Once you do that, you need to steal the treasure the same day you give him the card, if not it will be forever lost_ "

"... I see. Then i'll make a calling card and give it to him... Wait, i can't give it to him. He'll know i'm up to something... Unless..." I smile as soon a plan surge in my mind. "Don't worry, Philemon. I'll make Takeshi regret for everything that he had done"

" _I'm sure you will. I'll summon you again when you succeed in your mission. Until then... Farewell_ " In the blink of an eye i found myself back in the Tower. I smile at the treasure and leave the tower for now. Later that day, i decided to spend my time searching for a way to make the calling card. It needed to be threatening, but also convincing. I grab a magazine and cut words and letters to arm a sentence. It took me a couple of hours to make it, because Makoto was in home and Niijima as well, i didn't want them to know what i was doing, so i lock myself in a closet and make the calling card. I glue the words and letters on a red paper. I grab the paper and read it quietly.

"Sir Takeshi Ogata, the demon of greed. We know what have you done to the people that can't fight back, that is why we will steal away the thing you treasure the most and make you confess your crimes with your own mouth. By tomorrow, you'll by an honest man and regret of your acts... From the..." I didn't know how to end it. I could just leave it like that, without a sign. Besides, i put "we", because it was better to make him believe that there was more people involve, that way he'll take it more seriously. Still, i wanted to sign it, but nothing came to my mind. I grab the calling card and put it in my pocket, i get out of the closet and Makoto was on the other side. She jumped as soon i came out of the closet.

"Woah! What were you doing there!?" Said Makoto. "You scare me! I thought it was a ghost!"

"Please, Makoto, Ghosts don't exist..." The word ghost gives me an idea. "Or maybe they do"

"What?"

"I said they might actually exist. Can you imagine a ghost walking around the department, screaming to the living people for help... And when you get closer to them... They... EAT YOU!" I yell at her and Makoto run away from me. "Haha, it was a joke, Makoto. Of course ghosts don't exist. Don't be stupid" Makoto hit me in the head.

"You are stupider, you know that i don't like that!"

"Hahaha, Sorry, but you look so cute when you are scared"

"Cu-Cute!? There's nothing cute about being scared. You are crazy!" Makoto yell at me and i laugh at her.

"And what if i am?" I laugh and walk away. An idea has come to me, thanks to Makoto. I signed the Calling Card as "The Phantoms Thieves"

"Thank you, Makoto"


	4. The Beginning of the Phantoms Thieves

_**Chapter 3: The beginning of the Phantoms Thieves**_

 _ **6/26 Tuesday, 2012**_

It was the day, i was going to give the Calling card to Takeshi. The only problem was the "How". I didn't know where he lived, but thanks to my luck, Mom had his phone number on her cell phone, so i've come up with something to give him the Calling card and the best part was that i won't give it to him directly. First of all, i made a copy of the card and make sure that i use gloves when i do so, that way my fingerprint couldn't be found. I had the idea after watching CSI and reading a lot of detective novels. When i had the card with me, ready to deliver, i take out my phone and call Takeshi. I told him that my Mother was in the hospital and asking if he could come for a moment to talk with her about the debt. Surprisingly enough, he accepts. I told him what hospital she was in and hung up. As soon as school ended i run to the hospital. I put the calling card in an envelope with Takeshi's name on it. When i got to the bedroom where my mother was in, Takeshi had been already inside, talking to her.

"Just in time" He said. "I receive a call earlier from your daughter. Looks like it wasn't a lie... So, you want me to extend the deadline?" He asks. My mother didn't answer right away, she just nodded.

"... You could've said that you call him, Kagura" My mother said to me.

"That doesn't matter now" Said Takeshi. "I could give you more time... But i won't do that" Takeshi smile at my mother. "I actually look forward to tomorrow and i had plans for you... And your daughter" My eyes widen as soon as he mentioned me. "I'll leave for now... See you two tomorrow" He never stop smiling, he turn around and leave. When he leaves i follow him and ignore my mother's call. I saw Takeshi walking toward the elevator, i grab the envelope and, carefully, i place it in the floor and throw it in his direction. The envelope hit his shoes, while he was waiting the elevator, he looks down and saw the envelope. He grabs it and open it. I hide so he down sees me and heard him reading the calling card out loud.

 ** _"Sir Takeshi Ogata, The Demon of Greed and Unjustice. We know what have you done to the people that can't fight back, we know your secrets and all those despicable things you have done to society. That is why we will steal away the thing you treasure the most and make you confess your crimes with your own mouth. By tomorrow, you'll by an honest man and regret of your sinful acts... From The Phantom Thieves" He read._**

Of course i change it a little bit, but it's still the same Calling Card. Takeshi looks around like crazy and yell at an empty corridor. "HEY! There's someone there!? Who's responsible for this bullshit!?" I laugh while watching him, he was really nervous. "Tch... It doesn't matter. I will find out soon enough" In that moment, everything around me distort itself and Takeshi's shadow appears instead of him.

" **YOU THINK YOU CAN STEAL IT FROM ME!? FINE... TRY IT, BUT IT WILL BE USELESS** " He said and everything goes back to normal. I return to see my mother who was trying to stand up. But she was still weak. It doesn't matter how much she rests, she wasn't getting better. It was the stress of tomorrow. She was afraid of what might happen to us tomorrow. I go to her bed and hug her without saying a word. She hugs me back and kiss me in the forehead.

"... I'm so sorry, Kagura. It's all my fault" She said to me. It was in fact her fault, but i don't blame her for that. I can't blame her for doing what she did in order to keeping me happy.

"Don't worry, Mom. Tomorrow everything will be alright" I said to her.

"... I doubt it, Kagura"

"Hehe... We'll see about that" I thought

* * *

After saying goodbye to my mother, i run to Shibuya and enter the Metaverse. I wanted to end this as quickly as possible. I enter the tower, but this time there was a lot of Shadows in every single floor, so instead of fighting them, i avoid them. My time here was limited and i didn't want to waste my energy on them. I reach the last floor safely and open the door. In the middle of the giant room there was a giant golden heart floating in the air. I run toward the massive object and touch it. It was solid gold.

" _ **Looks like this is his treasure**_ " Said Kuma Lisa

"Looks like it... But how do i steal it? How do i take it with me?" I asked.

" **You can't!** " I turn around and see Takeshi was a group of guards behind him. " **You think you just can enter here, avoid all my security staff and steal MY HEART!? You're so wrong, girl. This is what is going to happen... You are going to walk away from MY HEART and leave my tower. Do it calmly... If you do, i might reconsider what i had planned for you... What do you say?** "

"... So you want me to walk away?" I look at the heart and then to Takeshi. "What if i keep touching it?" I touch the heart with my index finger. "Look, i'm touching it. Touching, touching, touching" I smile while i keep doing it. Takeshi got angrier by the second. I keep messing with him and he yells at me.

" **THAT'S ENOUGH!** "

"Oh, you are angry, huh? What are you going to do? Send your guards against me? They'll lose. There's nothing you can do" I taunt him. His face suddenly changes from angry to a weird grin.

" **THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO...? YOU SAY... HAHAHAHAHA** " He start laughing maniacally and all the floor starts to shake violently. " **YOU HAVE NO IDEA OF WHAT I CAN DO. I DON'T NEED THIS USELESS MENS. I CAN GET RID OF YOU, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW!** " Takeshi's body turn completely black and the shadows behind him too. They all become a black sticky liquid on the floor, I prepared for whatever come out of it. A giant golden hand came out of it and try to crush me. I dodge it and the rest of the body appears. Takeshi becomes a giant monster. It was a golden, mechanical man with black horns on it head, red glowing eyes, a broken jaw that drop melting gold, and his chest was completely empty. In that moment, the golden heart shrinks a little and flew toward him. It places itself inside his chest and became a part of him. " **NOW TRY AND TOUCH IT NOW, KAGURA!** "

"... Holy" I said

" _ **Shit...**_ " And Kuma Lisa finishes my sentence. Takeshi puke gold at me and i dodge it again.

"This is insane!" I yell. "... But Cthulhu might be even worse if it exists"

" _ **This is no time to joke around, you know that!?**_ "

"I know!" I take out my mask and summon Kuma Lisa. "Let's take him down!" Takeshi hit the floor and destroy it. It makes us fall to the lower floor. While we were falling, he tries to grab me and crush me with his bare hands. Kuma Lisa pushes me away and i avoid death. We all landed in the lower floor and as soon as i hit the floor, i order Kuma Lisa to attack Takeshi with "Gry" followed by "Agi". As far as i know, Shadows have weaknesses and Takeshi might have one. I only have to figure it out his weakness, if he doesn't have one, then i only have to beat him senseless at rip his heart out. Kuma Lisa attacked and the "Gry" skills prove to be quite useful, the negative point of the battle was that i had to rely on my Persona the whole time. I was defenseless without her. Takeshi refuses to fall, he refuses to lose no matter what. "Dammit! Just die already!" I yell and saw the golden heart floating inside his chest. "That's it... Kuma Lisa! The Heart! Take out his heart!" I said and i saw a broken table. I run toward it and rip one of the table's legs. Then i run toward Takeshi and throw the leg to one of his eyes, i wanted him to focus on me while Kuma Lisa takes out his heart. "Hey, Monster! I bet you can't crush me!" I taunt him and he bought it. His attention was focused on me. I dodge every attack he throws at me, the melting gold, his hands, his feet. Every single thing he throws at me, i dodge them all. I wasn't paying enough attention to my surroundings and i ended up against a corner. Takeshi grabs me and was about to bite my head off. "KUMA LISA, WHERE ARE YOU!?" I yell and Kuma Lisa, like a bullet, went through Takeshi's chest and take out his heart. Takeshi let go of me and fall to the ground while screaming.

" _ **This is our chance!**_ " Said Kuma Lisa.

"You're right! Set him on fire! Agilao!" I yell and Kuma Lisa set Takeshi on fire multiple times until he finally disappears. He turns back into the black sticky liquid and then to his original form. He wasn't moving at all. I saw the Golden heart, it was now smaller, it was about the size of a soccer ball. I run toward it and grab it before Takeshi could even move a finger. I saw him standing up, he was having trouble standing up.

" **FU-FUCK YOU!** " He said. " **GIVE IT BACK! GIVE ME BACK MY HEART! I THE ONLY THING I HAVE LEFT IN THIS ROTTEN WORLD! PL-PLEASE...! I'm begging you... Don't take it away from me** " Takeshi fall to his knees and start crying.

"... Now you are begging? You have no right to do that now"

" **B-But... You think you are the only one who suffer in this rotten world!? Look at me... They use me all my life, they turn their back on me, they abandon me, and when i finally find love in this world, she abandons me for a brainless man with his pockets full of money** **who doesn't even know how life works... This world is unfair... Is it bad for me to get back at society!? To feel superior for once! But now... A little girl is taken everything from me... This must be a joke... This must be a sick joke of fate** "

"A joke..." I said. "The world is unfair, i knew that even before you appear in my life... But people like you that think that they can do despicable things only because of their life are worthless... Then you are stupid... Really stupid. You could've changed your life, make it better... Don't think of the past, if you stay there for too long... Then you'll end up like the people who used you..." I didn't know where those words were coming from. They just come out of my mouth so naturally that surprise me. "I'm sorry, but i'm taking this with me... As for you... You'll confess everything and call off the debt. If you don't, then i'll come back and rip your intestines out with my bare hands" Takeshi start to glow and slowly disappear.

" **Hahahaha... A little girl teaches me a lesson... This is indeed a sick joke... I wish i was more like you... So brave... So sure of myself... But i can't. I will atone for what i did... I promise...** " He disappear. I look at the golden heart and smile.

"I literally take his heart" I said. The tower shake violently and starts to fall apart. I didn't ask what was happening, instead i run for it. I made my escape and again, i walk away from the tower i ended up back in the real world. I get back to the Central Street and breath desperate. I almost didn't make it. The phone in my pocket vibrate, i take it out and the app speaks to me.

" _The destination has been deleted_ " Said the app.

"Deleted?" I ask. I look around and saw the people walking around, they didn't pay any attention to me or asking themselves how i appear out of nowhere. I save those questions for later and the one regardless to the app to Philemon. I look at my hands, i didn't have the golden heart with me. "WHAT!? Did i drop it? Where is it!?" I search in my pockets and find something weird. I take it out and it was a necklace with a golden heart on it. I open the heart and inside was a picture of Takeshi and a beautiful woman. "So this was his treasure... It wasn't money or a massive heart of gold... But this..." I put the necklace back in my pocket and leave for today...

* * *

 _ **6/27 Wednesday, 2012**_

That day i went to school again and when it finished i went to see my mother. When i got to her room, i saw her watching the tv of the room. Her eyes were wide open. I say hello to her, but she didn't say a thing. I look at the TV and saw Takeshi on the TV. He turns himself in to the police and confess all his crimes, every single one of them. He even gives away the name of Yakuzas and corrupted cops that were working with him.

"Today in the morning, a man called Takeshi Ogata turn himself to the police and confess all his illegal activities which included: bribery, drug dealing, abuse, corruption, forcing women into prostitution, counterfeiting money, and the list goes on" Said the Newscaster. "He even gives the name of corrupted cops and some members of the Yakuza and their addresses. The reason why this man turns himself in is a mystery... But the police think that it had to do with something that Takeshi Ogata had with him at the moment of his confession" The TV showed the calling card that i give to Takeshi. "An unknown group calling themselves the Phantom Thieves gave him this calling card a day ago. The police will investigate their relation to this case, but for now, did not identify them as suspects"

"I can't believe it" My mother said. "It's over... Haha, i actually can't believe it" My mother smile and let out a big breath. "Whoever these guys are... I think i own them a lot"

"... Yeah" I said. "Are you feeling better, Mom?"

"I feel great... The doctor said that i can leave and starting tomorrow i will go back to work... This time we don't need to worry about money. Still, we'll save everything we have just in case"

* * *

" _Congratulation on succeeding, Kagura Kobayashi_ " Said Philemon. At the end of the day i go back home with Mom and end up sleeping with her in the same bed because i was worried for her. I really was. Philemon brings me here so we can discuss.

"Thanks, i feel great for actually succeeding... I wanted to ask you a couple of questions" I said to him.

" _Of course. All those questions i plan to answer them all... So tell me, what are your questions?_ "

"First of all... Why Takeshi's treasure turn into that necklace?"

" _Treasure are the sources of desire. That necklace marks a moment in Takeshi's life. The moment his desire appears, before that, he didn't have any. He was just like you... A young man with hopes and dreaming, trying to achieve his dreams by working hard. He had a woman by his side, but he focus so much on her that when the moment she left him for another man, try desperately try to be like that man in order to take her back... He fails and he ended up as the man you knew. Desire change people, desire can change them in both good or bad ways. It depends on how strong is that desire and how it can corrupt your heart_ " Philemon explains.

"I see... I kinda feel bad for him, but i shouldn't, right?"

" _It's alright to feel that way... After all, you could've become someone like him if he had gotten away with this_ "

"..."

" _There's another question?_ "

"About the Metaverse... I mean the app. It's on my mother's phone. What's going to happen?"

" _Don't worry, i have deleted it from your mother's phone. For now, you should rest from your battle. When you get your own phone, i'll give you back the app. The Metaverse Navigator is a powerful tool and i advise you that you use it properly_ "

"... So i will continue doing this? You want me to change the world by making those with distorted hearts to confess their crimes and helping the innocents, right? That's so cliche"

" _You sounded a little annoyed... You don't want to help people?_ "

"It's not that i don't want to... It just that i did it because of my mother... It's hard for me to help people i don't even know, i'm usually the type of person that doesn't care of the people if they aren't my friends or family... But if you choose me and you have high expectations of me... Then i should actually give it a try, besides... Stealing treasures felt really exciting. I did make it seem like a group was involved so i might as well keep doing it. The Phantom Thieves had born and they are here to stay. I will steal the desire of corrupted people" Philemon look at me right in the eyes. I could sense a smile behind his mask.

" _You seem to be enjoying it too much. That is good... But you should be careful with that attitude, Kagura. Your future, unlike the others, is in constant change. It makes it difficult to see, i can't tell what will happen to you in the future or the people around you. In the meantime, i appreciate that you decided to help and make a change to the world... You might say that you don't care about people, but eventually you will do this for the sake of others and not for yourself... The Phantom Thieves you create will consume you and change your view of the world. You'll become a hero for the people... Alongside others just like you... You are a Trickster... A Jester... It is your job to maintain other in this world until the next Fool arrive... Until then... Farewell_ "

* * *

 _Sae open a book and put a photo and a calling card on the table. She looks at Kagura and then to the table. Kagura had just finished telling the story about the beginning of the Phantom Thieves. Sae had a hard time believing everything she just said, but she heard her anyway._

 _"That day the world heard for the first time about the Phantom Thieves. It was something small, but eventually people start to talk about it. Your activities stopped just after Takeshi turns himself in and resumed a year later. After that, you target small criminals and occasionally big criminal. The Phantom Thieves gain popularity, but they were only seen as a rumor until the beginning of this year. This year, The Phantom Thieves start to gain actual popularity... Your next victim, the one that started this, was this man" Sae point at the picture of a man on the table. "Suguru Kamoshida. Being a student of Shujin Academy... I bet you had a really good reason to target him"_

 _"... I didn't plan on target him at all first, i thought he wasn't worth my time, but something makes me think otherwise"_


	5. Four years later

_**Chapter 4: Four years later**_

 _ **1/1 Friday, 2016 (Morning)**_

It was a cold morning, a new year has finally come and everybody was at their homes enjoying their day off, at least some of them. In Yongen-Jaya, in front of Cafe Leblanc, I was waiting for the place to open up. I was wearing a long black coat and blue pants. I also had a little red bag in my right hand and a white bicycle to my left chained to a telephone pole.

I was waiting for my boss, Sojiro Sakura, to come and open the place. I've been working there for a year now, i don't get too much for working there, but i enjoy the place. Besides, me and Sojiro are friends... Kinda, he's a friend of my mother so that's why. At least Sojiro treats me nice. I look around and saw the snow falling from the sky. I heard footsteps coming from my left, i look and there was Sojiro with a plastic bag in his hand and wearing a long black coat. He looks at me, surprised.

"Kagura" He said. "I wasn't expecting you this earlier. In fact, i wasn't expecting you at all. I thought you'll spend this day at home with your mother"

"I was... But i decided to leave her alone. She have a severe hangover and start yelling at everything in the department... So i leave before it gets worst. This happened because i let her drink tonight"

"Is she alright?" Sojiro was a little worried about my mother.

"She's fine. She just needs coffee. I leave her a cup in the table and a note" I Said to him with a casual smile.

"... Does your mother drink a lot lately?"

"Not really, but in the New Year she let herself go. Alright, let's go inside, it's freezing here" Sojiro and I enter the cafe and prepare to work. Sojiro make coffee while I take care of the kitchen and also clean the place. Not many customers come today, it was a new year, so most of them didn't leave their home. The hours passed by and it was already noon. I sat down in one of the tables while watching the TV at the Cafe, Sojiro sighs while looking at the door.

"Nobody's coming. Maybe i should close for today" He said and look at Naomi. "What do you say?"

"Are you sure?" I asked and he nods.

"It the first day of the year so i bet no one would get out of their house to drink coffee"

"Alright then. I'll go back home to check on mom" I stand up and take off my apron. "Same hour tomorrow?"

"Like always" Sojiro smile at me and leave an envelope on the table. "Sorry, it's not much"

"It's okay. This year, let's make sure to attract more customers. This place deserves more attention" I saw the red bag i had with me and suddenly remember why i had it. "Oh, i almost forgot. This is for you" I give the bag to Sojiro.

"You buy something for me?" He asks

"My mother bought it. Open it, i don't know what's inside"

"Alright... Let's see" Sojiro open the bag and take out a Black apron. "A new apron, huh? She likes to give simple gifts, doesn't she?"

"You like it?" I saw him smiling, but i still ask like an idiot.

"Of course i like it. I'll use it starting tomorrow. Thanks, Kagura. Go home... And Happy New Year"

"Thanks" I smile at him and leave the Cafe. I grab my bike and leave Yongen-Jaya. After a couple of minutes i ended up in Shibuya, near the central street. I stopped and get off my bike as soon i notices that i was receiving a call. I take out my phone and answer the call without watching who calls her. "Hello?"

"Ugh, Kagura, where are you?" It was her mother. "This Hangover is killing me"

"I just get out of work, Mom. You shouldn't have drank all that beer and whine. To be honest, i'm impressed you can stand up at all" I joked around.

"Tell me about it, i'm trying to not fall to the floor. The coffee you leave me on the table help a little. Can you do me a favor? My head is killing me. Can you buy me some medicine on your way home?"

"Sure, i'm in Shibuya. I'll go to the pharmacy and then go back home. Just hang in there... Get it? Because you have a hangover and-"

"That was an awful joke, Honey. Please don't do it again"

"I know, my jokes are awful. Just like grandpa's jokes"

"Those were far worst than yours. Okay, i'll be waiting for you. Be careful" I hang up and look at the app in my phone... The Metaverse Navigator. "I shouldn't... I need to buy medicine" At that moment i was debating if i should kill a few Shadows in Mementos or go straight to the pharmacy and buy the medicine and go home directly. It didn't last, my finger moves to the icon and press it without doubting. Everyone around me disappear and the world change. I leave my bicycle near the station and go down to Mementos. When i step inside, my clothes change from the ones i was wearing to my outfit in the Metaverse, my mask appears on my face without warning. I look at the entrance of Memento and take a deep breath. "Alright... Only a couple of Shadows and i'll go back. Lately Philemon hasn't summoned me to that place. I kept going to the Metaverse and steal the heart of people, but it's been pretty boring lately... Maybe it's because i'm too strong?"

" _ **That's one of the main reasons**_ " Said Kuma Lisa. " _ **The other reason is because you are alone on this. Of course, talking to me won't help you, you need a teammate**_ "

"Teammate? Philemon did say that at some point there will be people that will help me... But i don't like it. I prefer doing this alone"

" _ **I know, i prefer it that way too, but you can't deny that at some point you'll end up seeking help from someone else. There's a limit for you and i'm starting to think that you might reach it very soon. Besides, it'll be fun to have someone else around. This place is pretty boring and it's not good to be boring in here**_ "

"I know... We need to unleash a little more chaos and madness here to make it more fun... Where's Azathoth or Shub-Niggurath when you need them? They might like this place. How about Nyarlathotep?"

" _ **... You need to stop reading Lovecraft**_ "

"Hey, Lovecraft is a freaking genius"

" _ **I know, but you should focus on your situation now... There's a Shadow running toward us**_ " Kuma Lisa said and at that moment a Shadow jump from the stairs in the lowers floor and attacked me. I dodge him easily, two swords materialize in my hands and i attack him. I have two Shuang Gou (hook swords) as my weapon if i can't use Kuma Lisa in some battles. The shadow disintegrates as soon as i cut it in half. I've spent almost four years fighting Shadows, i knew how to fight them and grow stronger. The Shadows in Mementos run away from me, but there are some foolish enough to pick a fight with me. I enter the tunnel and decided to fight a couple of them before going back home. It serves as a training when i don't have a target to steal their treasures. Anyway, i enter and fight every single shadow that i encounter in the first floor. All of them try to escape from me, but i didn't let them escape. I force them to fight me and there were some that try to talk their way out of the fight, but i didn't listen to him. I just kill them one by one, not showing any sign of mercy at all. I run through the tunnels and found myself in a dead end... Which was strange.

Usually a can go deeper, but there was a wall blocking my way, it wasn't there before. I sigh and punch the wall, but it didn't open. Looks like i couldn't go deeper at least for a while. I shake my head in frustration and turn around to leave, but i heard a scream, it sounded like a boy's scream. I saw the rails on the subway next to the station i was standing on and saw a Shadow chasing after... A cat. Or at least i thought it was a cat. I mean, it looked like a cat, but it was standing in two feet and was a little cartoonish looking. I shrug and step in. The cat fall and the Shadow was ready to kill it, but i jump at the Shadows head and stab it with my two swords. I behead the monster and disappear. Once i kill the Shadow i saw the cat in front of me. I wasn't expecting to find something like that down here. Only Shadows roam around these tunnels... To find something like this it's really surprising. The cat stands up and look at me front head to toes. His eyes were wide open.

"Y-You... Saved me" He said. "Thank you so much, i was so tired i couldn't use my Persona at all. I owe you one, Miss"

"You are welcome..." My eyes widen when i heard him. "Wait! You talked!?" I almost yell. "What are you? A Shadow?"

"I am NOT Shadow. If i was one, they won't be even attacking me at all!" The cat yell at me.

"... You are right on that. So... Are you a cat then?" I asked. I wanted answers from him, it was the first time i saw something like him.

"I am NOT a cat either!"

"Woah, calm down. I didn't insult you at all" I said. I look at the cat- I mean, the thing in front of me from head to toe and he, in fact, looks like a cat. Even if he denies it, he is a cat. "Then... If you are not a cat, then what are you?"

"Isn't that obvious? I'm human" He said.

"... No you don't"

"Of course i am! It's because of the distortion, that's why i look like this!"

"... Right, the distortion"

"What? You don't believe me!?"

"Of course not... Huh?" I turn around and saw a big group of Shadows running toward us. "Stay behind me"

"Are you crazy!? They'll surround us, we need to escape and-" He was nervous. I step in front of him to protect him.

"Kuma Lisa!" I take out my mask and Kuma Lisa appears. She snaps her fingers and the Shadows burst into flames and turn into ashes before they could reach us. The cat couldn't believe what just happen, i was very powerful. "You were saying?"

"Your Persona... It's so powerful. H-How?" He asks.

"I've been doing this for four years. I know how to handle these things" I look at the cat's leg. He was bleeding. "Hey, you're bleeding" I usually don't panic, but he was chased by Shadows and almost die, so i was a little worried for him.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I was ambushed by them" I knee and look at his leg. It wasn't that bad.

"You are lucky it's not something bad. Let's get out of here" I grab him and go to the entrance. The cat told me that he could walk by himself, but i didn't let go of him. Once i got to the entrance i put him in the ground. "What's your name?" I ask.

"Morgana" He answer really quickly. "... But i'm not a cat, so can you stop calling me a cat"

"... But you look like one"

"And?" Morgana was about to yell at me again. I knew it.

"... Nothing, i'll just call you by your name. By the way, my name is Kagura Kobayashi. I'll take you out of here so i can cure your leg"

"It's okay. There's no need for that" Morgana insist that it was nothing. I was about to say otherwise, but he summons his Persona. A tall, muscular man with a black suit wearing a cape and using a sword. His Persona swings his sword and Morgana's leg heal itself. I wasn't that surprise, i saw the Shadows doing the same before, but i didn't know that a Persona could do it too. I never saw another Persona-User besides me. "Done" He said while smiling.

"I wish i had that ability. Kuma Lisa only has elemental skills" I said. "It will very useful when i need to cure wounds"

"So, Miss Kagura" Said Morgana. "What are you doing here?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing... I just come here to kill some Shadows. Now i need to go back home. My mother is waiting for me" I explain. "What about you?"

"..." Morgana remains silent for a moment. "I can't remember" He said.

"You can't remember?"

"I think... It might be the distortion of my body. That's why i'm in this form... The distortion also erases my memory, i can't remember from where i am or what i do... The only thing i know is that i was searching for a treasure in a palace..."

"A Treasure?" I ask. "So you've entered into palaces? That's interesting"

"I assume you too"

"Of course i did. It's part of my job as a Phantom Thief" I said proudly.

"Phantom... Thief?" Morgana was a little curious.

"I steal the treasures and change the heart of corrupted people. Mostly to help people... It's sort of like a hobby, a serious hobby"

"And you've been doing this for years..." Morgana was thinking of something. "Hey, you need any help with that?"

"No" I answer as quickly as i could. "I'm actually better alone"

"What!? Seriously?" Morgana was surprised about my answer.

"Yes... I can handle all this by myself, Morgana"

"Well, you are powerful and i bet you can handle most of the Shadows by yourself, but are you sure? You save me back there, at least let me help you with something. I mean, you said that you can't heal yourself, let me at least give you support. I owe you one, so let help you"

" ** _You should let him help you_** " Said Kuma Lisa in my mind. " _ **We just had a conversation moments ago about teammates, didn't we?**_ "

"... You are going to keep this going until i have a teammate, don't you?" I ask her.

" ** _Oh dear god, what give you that idea?_** " She asks sarcastically

"Alright" I said. "You can help me, Morgana. For now..." I said to him. Morgana smile at me and give me a hand shake.

"I won't disappoint you, Miss Kobayashi"

"... Just call me Kagura"

* * *

A couple of days after that, Me and Morgana start to explore Mementos. Morgana refuses to go to the real world. If he does, he'll turn into a cat because... He looks like a cat. I actually don't even care anymore. Morgana waits for me everyday at the entrance of Mementos, when i enter we start training and try to go down in Mementos, but the wall don't let us go any further. The months go by and i start to search my next target. Philemon didn't talk to me for a while now, i didn't know why, but i kept doing what i do best, stealing Treasures... Or at least i try. It's difficult when you don't know who to target...


	6. The New Kid

_**I wanted to thank epikachu, hellspam, Coral the Leviathan and Samantha Vi Tenebris for the reviews :D Especially hellspam.  
**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 5: The New Kid**_

 _ **4/7 Thursday, 2016**_

School Started yesterday and i was a little stress out, not because of school, i could care less about school. It was because i didn't found a target yet and it start to annoy me a lot. Tomorrow I had work in the Cafe and i was going to spend most of the weekend working there too, so my hands were a little tied for a couple of days. Right now i was in Mementos with Morgana. He and I were together for a couple of months now and i was starting to enjoy his company, but he sometimes can be a little annoying. On top of that, I've been training with him for a while now, but thanks to my power, Morgana can barely gain new abilities. He needs to train alone and gain experience alone, if not, he'll never improve. Still, Morgana is a very skilled fighter, despite his size and sometimes i notice him looking at me from behind with a smile on his face... It was a little creepy. I sit in the entrance of Mementos and sighs. Morgana sits next to me. We were both tired.

"Morgana, i won't be here tomorrow... and the whole weekend. I have work to attend" I said to him.

"Oh, so I guess I'll train without you" Morgana was a little disappointed.

"... Not quite. I have a job for you"

"Huh?"

"You said you can travel through the Metaverse without using the app, didn't you?" I ask because i wanted to make sure of that.

"Yes, what do you have in mind?"

"I want you to search for a palace" I was a little desperate. It's been a while since i enter a palace. Philemon didn't contact me and i was starting to get nervous. "Once you find one and who's the ruler come back here and give me the data. Can you do that?"

"Of course i can. Are you doubting me?" Morgana asks a little angry.

"Not really, i just wanted to make sure. Besides, you said that if we steal treasures yo might regain some of your memories back... Is that or going deep into Mementos... But for now, we can't go down. It doesn't matter who hard i try, i can't take down that damn wall"

"You may be powerful, but that wall it's immune to any attack" Morgana scratch his head. "Well, i think i better search for a Palace. When i find it i'll tell you... When are you coming back?"

"Umm, Monday, after school like always" I said to him. Morgana nodded and leave. "Hey... Be careful" I whisper the last part.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing"

"..." Morgana gets out of Mementos and disappears from my sight. I stand up and go back home for the day. Tomorrow will be a long day.

* * *

 _ **4/8 Friday, 2016**_

I spent most of the morning looking at the window, thinking about what to do next. My homeroom teacher didn't pay any attention to me and keep doing his work. I was in the same class as Makoto, she looks at me from time to time, she knew that something was worrying me and wait until school ended to ask me. We both go to the rooftop and talk.

"Lately i notice you distracted" She said with her arms crossed. "Did something happened?"

"Not really. It's not something you should be worrying about" I said with a casual smile. "It's just the usual, I've been reading books non-stop at night and i barely sleep at all"

"Mmm, You don't look that tired... But then again, i saw you sleeping with your eyes open once, so..." Lying to Makoto was the easiest thing. She'll buy anything i say. Mostly because i'm her only friend, that's not a lie. She doesn't have any friends at all and she's afraid to lose me for something stupid. Something that won't happen, i won't end my friendship with Makoto, we have a bond... But i won't tell her what I'm up to. She won't understand it at all and i prefer that she stay away from this.

"I know right" I laugh a little. "Don't worry too much about me. Concentrate on the Student Council, they need you more"

"You are right... But sometimes i'm worried about you. Didn't you said that you have two jobs?"

"I had, now i only have one. I used to work in Big Bang Burger, but i left. Now I'm working in a cafe"

"... A cafe? Please tell me it's not a Maid Cafe"

"Pfff hahaha" I laugh. "I'm too creepy for that kind of job. Besides, the day i use a maid uniform will also be the day that pigs fly... Or the end of the world comes, whatever come first"

"Hahaha, well, i can see you using a Maid uniform. It'll suit you"

"... Don't you have a Student Council to attend?"

"Oh, right. I'll be leaving now. Good luck with your work... And please, don't over do it. The last thing i want for you is to collapse just like your mother"

"Don't worry about me, Makoto. It'll take a lot of work to break me" Makoto leave the rooftop and i stop smiling. I sigh.

"Alright... Let's get this over with"

* * *

 _ **(After School)**_

I take my bicycle and go straight to Cafe Leblanc. I arrive earlier than expected, Sojiro had a big box in the corner of the kitchen. I didn't know what it was for and i didn't ask. I just clean the dishes and attended the customers. Just like always, there was not that many people in the Cafe and Sojiro and I ended up talking to each other waiting for someone to show up. I look at the box again and finally ask.

"What's in the box? A human heart?" I joked

"It's too big for a heart, don't you think?" He plays along. "It's actually clothes and some stuff for a boy. He's staying here in the Cafe for a year" I wasn't expecting that at all.

"... Why?"

"Well, a customer know the parents of this kid and he convince me to take care of him for the year"

"He paid you, didn't he?"

"... Yes. The worst part is that he have a criminal record. Basically, i'm taken care of a criminal"

"I see..." I didn't care at all about this guy, but i ask anyway. "What did he do? Did he kill someone?"

"Not really. He was charged for assault. He tries to help a woman from a drunken man. He got hurt and sued him. Now he was expelled from his high school and now transfer at Shujin"

"Shujin?" I sigh. "Well, rumors will fly as soon he step inside the building"

"I bet they will... I need you to do something for me. He'll arrive after school. Can you wait for him in the station for me? The last thing i need is for him to lost himself in the city. He is a country boy after all"

"I see" I crossed my arms. "Which station he'll arrive?"

"He'll arrive in Shibuya. I don't remember what line. Wait for him in Station Square" He take out a picture of the boy and give it to me. He looked pretty normal to me. He has wavy black hair and dark gray eyes, he also wears black glasses. He obviously stands out in any crowd. "Just in case write his name on a paper and wait for him to spot you"

"Easier say than done... Don't worry, i'll bring the "juvenile delinquent" to you. I'll get out of school earlier to not miss him"

"Thank, Kagura"

"You are welcome. Besides, i don't think he's that bad. What's his name again?"

"Akira Kurusu"

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

 _ **4/9 Saturday, 2016**_

I can't believe it. How did i end up in this situation? I know why, but i still think that this is bullshit. Well... There's nothing i can do about it now... At least my parents could've said something and not stay quiet for the whole time. On top of that, they agreed on this... I'm starting to think they only wanted to get rid of me. Still, i shouldn't think about them like that, they are my parents after all. I bet the didn't have any option. I look around the train i was in and saw a couple of girls talking about "Mental Shutdowns". I wasn't familiar with that term but looks like it was some kind of occult thing, so i didn't pay attention at all. The train stop in Shibuya and i get out of the train. I grab my phone and open the Nav to see where i was going.

I was practically lost in here. It was my first time in Tokyo after all. I walk to the Central Street in Shibuya. The whole place was filled with people, there were so many people in one place, i was sure it'll take some time to get used to that. My phone vibrate, it thought i receive a message, but i look at the screen and saw a weird icon on top of my navigation app. The icon got bigger and didn't let me see the map. I touch the icon, but nothing happen. My phone froze. In that same moment, everyone around me stopped... It was like time itself stopped and i was the only one who didn't freeze. I turn around in confusion. In front of me, in the middle of the big crowd, a big blue flame appear. It takes the form of a man and then wings came out of it. For a moment i thought that i saw myself inside that fire. I blink a couple of times and everything turns to normal. I was confused, i didn't know how to react to that. I look at my phone again and saw the weird app. I delete it without thinking it twice.

"I must be tired" I said to myself. I walk to the Station Square, searching for the line that will take me to Yongen-Jaya. I saw a girl wearing the same uniform i had, i couldn't help but to look at her skirt, it was longer than i was expecting. The other girls i saw on my way here were shorter than hers. She had a long red hair that reaches her lower back, dark brown eyes, and black glasses. She was reading a little book while looking around. She had the book in her right hand and in her left hand, she had a cardboard with my name on it. I shrug and walk toward her. She saw me and closed her book, and take out her glasses. Looks like she only uses them to read.

"Akira Kurusu?" She asked with a smile. I don't know why, but i feel that her smile wasn't sincere at all.

"Yes" I answer. "Who are you?"

"My name is Kagura Kobayashi. I'll take you to Yongen-Jaya. Sojiro Sakura is waiting" She said and we walk to the station and take the train. It took us a couple of minutes to arrive at Yongen-Jaya. Kagura gets out of the train quickly and waits for me to follow her. We walked to the backstreet and she takes me to a Cafe.

"Umm... Why are we here?" I asked.

"Sojiro is the owner. You'll be living here, he doesn't want you to be at his house" I wasn't expecting this turn of events at all. "Before we enter, i'll tell you a couple of things" She looks at me right in the eyes. Her smile disappear. "I work here and the last thing i want is to someone like you to do something stupid or cause any trouble to him. You seem like a nice guy and i actually don't care about your criminal record, past or anything at all, but you better don't mess up the place. I'm the one that has to clean later. Sojiro closes the place at 8 o'clock and opens in the early morning, so you better be here before he close up or you'll end up sleeping outside. Listen to Sojiro and everything will be alright. Any questions?"

"... So you are a part timer here?" That was my only question. She told me everything i need to know. Basically, "Don't screw up or you'll sleep in the street". I was okay with it, i don't plan on doing something reckless that cause me any trouble in the future. I just wanted to get this over with.

"Yes, also, Sojiro and my mother know each other. That helped a little when he was looking for a part timer. Anyway, you'll be going to Shujin too. So, if you have any doubts... Ask your classmates. I won't be babysitting you" Kagura enter to the Cafe and i stay still for a moment. My first impression of her is... Aggressive... I better not make her angry. I enter the Cafe and saw Kagura talking with a tall man that has slicked-back dark hair with a receding hairline, a chinstrap beard with a goatee that flares out, and wears glasses. "Then I'll be leaving for today, Sojiro. Tomorrow you'll open at noon?"

"Yes" Said Sojiro. "I'll take him to Shujin tomorrow"

"Alright then, good luck" Said Kagura, grab her bag and leave. She gives me a fake smile and leaves. I knew that her smile was fake. It didn't look like it, but i could tell.

"So, you're Akira" Sojiro talked to me as soon Kagura leaves. I nodded. "I'm Sojiro Sakura. You'll be in my custody over the next year. I was wondering what kind of unruly kid would show up, but you're the one, huh?"

"Well... Here i am" I didn't know what to say at this point.

"Have you been told? A customer of mine and your parents know each other and- Well, not that that matters... Follow me" Sojiro take the stairs to the back of the cafe, i follow him and we end up in the attic. The place was surprisingly clean. "This will be your room. You better thank Kagura for this. She cleans the whole place for you. I told her to not do it... Maybe she's expecting me to pay her more for this" Sojiro explain. I look at the attic and it was completely clean, i couldn't see anything out of place or dirty. She did a really great job with this. I wasn't expecting her to clean my room. "So, what do you think?"

"It's nice... And big"

"Kagura won't clean it again. It's your job to keep it this way now. I'm sure she told you this, i'll be leaving after i lock up each day. You'll by alone at night, but don't do anything stupid. I'll throw you out if you cause any trouble"

"... She said it too. No need to say it twice. I understand"

"Good. Now then... I got the gist of your situation" Said Sakura. "You protected some woman from a man forcing himself on her, he got injured, then sued you. Right?" I sigh, i didn't want to remember it.

"... Yes"

"That's what you get for sticking your nose in a matter between two adults. You did injure him, yeah? And now that you've got a criminal record, you were expelled from your high school. The courts ordered you to transfer and move out here, which your parents also approved. In other words... They get rid of you for being a pain in the ass"

"I thought the same thing on my way here" I said.

"Listen, it's best you do not talk about anything unnecessary. I am in the restaurant business, you know. Behave yourself for the year. If nothing happens, your probation will be lifted"

"(sigh) A whole year..."

"We'll be going to Shujin tomorrow. We'll introduce ourselves properly to the staff there. There's rarely a place that'll accept someone like you, you know" Sojiro didn't like me at all. "Your "luggage" arrive earlier; i left them in the corner. I'll go downstairs and continue working" Sojiro leave and i look at the box my parents send from home. Inside there were all my clothes. I change clothes and spent the rest of the day examining the room. It was big, bigger than my old room. I might decorate the room a little later on. Sojiro closes the Cafe and i prepare to go to sleep. I memories of that day are still present in my head. No matter what they all say... I did nothing wrong, i did what i think was right. My phone vibrates again, i looked and find that weird app again. I delete it and close my eyes...

* * *

I open my eyes, i wake up suddenly and found myself in a blue room. I hear the noise of chains around me. I get up and look down. My hands were chained and i wasn't dressing the same clothes i had when i go to bed. I was wearing prisoners clothes. I was clearly dreaming, but for some reason, it was feeling really real. I hear a chuckle near me. I look around and notice that i was, in fact, in a cell. A little girl appear in front of my cell, when i get up off my bed i saw that it wasn't one... There were two of them... Twins. They were wearing the same warden blue uniform, but their hair had different styles. I try to get closer to the door, but something stops me. I was chained to a metal ball. I make an effort to get to the door. Once i did, the Twins turn around and i saw an old man sitting at a desk. He was wearing a black suit, but what was striking of him was his really long nose. It defies any logic.

"Trickster..." He said with a really deep voice. "Welcome to MY velvet room" I try to open the door, but it was closed up.

"So you've come to, Inmate" Said the twin to my right.

"The you in reality is currently fast asleep" Said the twin to my left. "You are only experiencing this as a dream"

"You're in the presence of our master. Stand up straight!" The twin to my right yell at me.

"Welcome" Said the man with a long nose. "I am delighted to make your acquaintance. This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It is a room that only those who are bound by a "Contract" may enter. I am Igor, the master of this place. Remember it well. I summoned you to speak of important matters. It involves your life as well"

"Important... Matters?" I ask. "Hey, why I'm here? Let me out!" I yell. The twin to my right hit the door with an electric baton.

"Know your place, Inmate! Who do you think you're talking to!?" She yell at me

"Still, this is a surprise" Said Igor. "The state of this room reflects the state of your own heart. To think a prison would appear as such. You truly are a "prisoner" of fate. In the near future, there is no mistake that ruin awaits you"

"... Ruin?" I ask him.

"Haha, worry not. There is a mean to oppose such a fate. You must be "Rehabilitated". Rehabilitated toward freedom... That is your only mean to avoid ruin. Do you have the resolve to challenge the distortion of the world?" Igor asked me. I didn't understand a single thing at all.

"... Wait, what?"

"You didn't decline, hm? Very well, that is enough"

"B-But i don't understand what you are talking about"

"Allow me to observe the path of your rehabilitation" He ignore me completely. The twins turn around and look at me. "Ah, pardon me for not introducing the others. To your right Caroline; to your left, Justine. They serve as warden here" Igor explain.

"Hmph, try and struggle as hard as you like" Said Caroline.

"The duty of warden is to protect inmates. We are also your collaborators... That is, if you remain obedient" Said Justine.

"I shall explain the roles of these two at another occasion" The twins turn around again and face Igor. "Now then, it seems the night is waning... It is almost time. Take your time to slowly come to understand this place. We will surely meet again, eventually..." A loud ring could be heard.

"Time's up" Said Caroline. "Now hurry up and go back to sleep"


	7. The Castle

_**This chapter will be mostly from Akira's POV, because we already got to the game and Kagura wasn't present during Akira's awakening.  
**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 6: The Castle**_

 **Kagura's POV**

 _ **4/10 Sunday, 2016**_

Today i spent most of my time in Mementos, Sojiro calls me earlier and said that he won't open the Cafe. Turns out the traffic was so bad he could barely move at all. So I kill time by killing Shadows. Today i find it more boring than usual. Morgana wasn't here so it was really quiet. I kinda miss him... Kinda, but it's better to him to find a target to steal Treasures. It annoys me a lot that Philemon didn't talk to me yet, did something happen to him? I couldn't stop thinking about that, something wasn't right at all. Philemon always talks to me at least every week, in the worst case, every month. But it's been almost five months since i haven't talked to him. I'm worried. I go back home earlier, help Mom with dinner, take a shower and go to sleep earlier. Tomorrow i had school and after that, i was going to reunite with Morgana. I hope things go well... If he didn't find a palace, i'll step on his face...

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

 _ **4/11 Monday, 2016**_

I got lost... I saw it coming. I'm new to this place, i don't know all the lines and on top of that, the subway accident from yesterday make everything worst. After almost half an hour I arrive at Aoyama-Itchome station. I was going to make it on time at least, i didn't want to be late in my first day of school. The last thing i wanted is for everyone around me to give me a hard time again. I was sick of it at this point. I get out of the station and thanks to my incredibly bad luck, it starts raining. Luckily i run to a little shop near the station and about the rain. I wait there a little for the rain to stop.

I take out my phone and see where i was. School was behind me, on the other street. There was an alley near me, i could go there and end up in the entrance in no time. In the blink of an eye, that weird app appear again on my phone. I sigh, i really should reboot my phone. That thing must be some kind of virus. A girl stand next to me. I look at her, she had a hood on. She take it out and i couldn't help but to stare at her. She was beautiful. She have bright blue eyes and ash blonde wavy hair styled in bushy pigtails, with parted side bangs on the right side of her face. Her school's uniform is modified; the standard black blazer over a white varsity-like hoodie worn long to cover most of her short plaid skirt. She wears red tights and brown boots with yellow laces. The girl look around and then look at me. I couldn't look away for some reason. I blink a couple of times and smile t her, it was the only thing i could do at the moment. She smile at me and then look at the street. We wait for the rain to stop a little. A car stopped in front of us. The man inside the car was using a P.E. uniform of the school. He must be the PE Teacher.

"Good Morning, Takamaki. You want me to give you a ride to school? You're gonna be late" He said. He obviously knows her.

"Sure, Thank you" The girl, Takamaki, accept his offer and enter the car. The Teacher looks at me.

"You want me to take you too?" He ask with a smile. I decline his offer. I actually didn't need his help, besides... Something about him was off. Takamaki enter and her expression suddenly changed. Looks like she was... Sad. Why? I was a little curious. The car leave and a blonde student run after it. He stops in front of me and yells.

"Dammit! Screw that pervy teacher!" He yells.

"Pervy... Teacher?" I didn't know what he was talking about, but i was right. Something was off with that teacher. The blonde student look at me, he didn't look happy at all.

"What are you looking at?" He asks me. "Are you plannin' on rattin' me out to Kamoshida?"

"... Who?" I asked

"Huh? In that car just now. It was Kamoshida" He said. He must be referring to the teacher. He did call him a pervy teacher. "He does whatever the hell he wants. Who does he think he is- the king of a castle? Don't you agree?"

"... Sorry, i don't know what are you talking about?" I said to him.

"Huh? You don't know Kamoshida? Are you for real?"

"I am. I just transfer here. I don't know a thing" I explain to him.

"Oh, you are a transfer student? Then no wonder you don't know him"

"What did he do?" I ask

"... I'll tell you later. The rain stop a little, we better hurry or we'll be late"

"We can go to that alley. It'll take us to school" I said to him.

"I know. I use that alley everyday" He smile at me. "Come on, let's hurry up" For a brief moment i felt lightheaded for some reason. I didn't know what it was, maybe i was just tired, but it took me by surprise that the boy next to me also feels the same way. "Uuugh, my head hurts... Dammit, i wanna go home" He said, he obviously wasn't feeling okay. The boy enters the alley and i follow him. On our way there, i felt something weird. I step on a puddle and the slash of water felt... different. Like time stopped for a moment. It reminds me of when i got here. That day time stopped... I heard the boy yelling. I go to him and find him looking at what's supposed to be the school. Instead of the school, there was a big castle. In front of the castle, there was a sign that said "Shujin Academy".

"What...?" I said.

"We didn't... Come the wrong way though... Yeah, this should be right..." He said. "What's going on here?"

"I don't know..."

"I guess we'll just have to go and ask" We both enter the castle and i didn't know what awaited for us inside...

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

I wasn't paying any attention to the lecture. I, like always, was looking at the window. Some of the stuff my teacher was talking about, i already know them. He looked at me and call me. I look at him and the whole class pays attention.

"Kobayashi, are you paying attention?" He asks. "Can you translate this sentences to Spanish?" He points at the board. It said: "No great artist ever sees things as they really are. If he did, he would cease to be an artist". I sigh and translate it.

"Ningun gran artista ve las cosas como son en verdad. Si lo hiciera, dejaria de ser un artista" I said. "And I believe that is Oscar Wilde, Sir"

"Yes, it is a quote from Oscar Wilde. Looks like you were paying attention after all"

"..." I didn't say anything and keep looking outside the window. "Spanish is so easy that is boring..." I thought. "I can't wait for school to end. I wonder how's Morgana doing?"

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

We enter the castle, not knowing what will happen to us. As soon we enter, we were taking away by men wearing giant armors. They knocked us down and leave us in a cell. I wasn't expecting any of this at all, it didn't make any sense at all. I was in school yesterday, to think that a castle will appear in its place... I didn't know what it was going to happen to us, but i was going to find a way out of here. We wake up and try to escape, but the door won't open. I didn't matter how hard we try. We heard people screaming from the other cells. We started to get nervous and try even harder to get the hell out of there, but it was useless. The guard from before appear at the other side of the door and we walk away from them.

"Be glad that your punishment has been decided upon" Said one of them. "Your charge is "Unlawful entry". Thus, you will be sentenced to death"

"Say what!?" Said the boy.

"You can't do that!" I said. From behind the guard, there was a man wearing a simple crown and a red cape with hearts all over it.

" **No one's allowed to do as they please in my castle** " Said the weird man. He looked exactly as the man I saw in the car before... But his eyes... They were glowing yellow.

"Huh? Wait... Is that you, Kamoshida?" The boy asked to him.

" **I thought it was some petty thief, but to think it'd be you, Sakamoto... Are you trying to disobey me again? It looks like you haven't learned your lesson at all, huh?** " Kamoshida looks at me. " **And you brought a friend this time... Because you can't do anything for yourself** "

"This ain't funny, you asshole!" Sakamoto yells at him.

 **"Is that how you speak to a king? It seems you don't understand the position you're in at all. Not only did you sneak into my castle, you committed the crime of insulting me- The King! The punishment for that... Is Death. It's time for an execution! Take him out!** " The guards open the door and enter the cell. They surround us.

"... Goddamit...!" Said Sakamoto. He runs to one of the guards and knocks it down. "I ain't down for this shit! C'mon, we're outta here!" Sakamoto punches the other guard and tries to escape. I went behind him, but another guard was blocking the door, he punch Sakamoto in the stomach and grab me by the throat. He throws me to the wall. I couldn't do anything at all.

" **Hmph, pathetic scum isn't worth my time** " Said Kamoshida. He looks at Sakamoto and grabs him by the collar. " **I'll focus on this one's execution** " He use Sakamoto as his punching bag and spit on him when he was on the ground. " **Hmph. Where'd your energy from earlier go? A peasant like you isn't worth beating. I'll have you killed right now** "

"Have you lost your fucking mind!?" I yell at him. "Let him go, You asshole!" Kamoshida turns to me.

" **What...? Don't you dare tell me you don't know who** i **am** " Kamoshida smile at me. " **That look in your eyes irritates me!** " He kicks me to the wall. I stand up and run to him, but his guards grab me and push me against the wall. " **Hold him there... After the peasant. It's his turn to die** "

"No! Let him go!" I yell at him. Kamoshida didn't listen to me. He just laughs at Sakamoto. "... There's nothing i can do? Am i that weak?"

" _ **... What's the matter?**_ " A voice inside my head talked to me. " ** _Are you simply going to watch? Are you forsaking him to save yourself? Death awaits him if you do nothing... Was your previous decision a mistake then!?_** " I remember that night again. The woman screams for help, the man getting injured, me being taken away by the police.

"... No" I said. "I wasn't... I don't regret it. I did what it was right, even if that ruin my life. I'll do it again... I won't let him die!" I yell.

" _ **Very well... I have heeded your resolve**_ " Said the voice and out of nowhere, i felt a deep pain inside my skull. It was like something was piercing my brain from the inside. I yell in pain and try to endure it. " ** _Vow to me. I am Thou... Thou art I. Thou who art willing to perform all sacrilegious acts for thine own justice! Call upon my name and release thy rage! Show the strength of thy will to ascertain all on thine own, though thou be chained... To Hell itself!_** "

" **Execute him!** " Kamoshida order.

"That's enough!" I yell at him and he turns around.

"What was that?" He asked

"I will stop you, you son of a bitch!"

"You desire to be killed that much? Fine" One of the guard hit me with his shield and break my glasses. They fall to the ground and the guards prepare to kill me. They raise their sword and an unknown force pushes them away from me. I look up, i was free, but something wasn't right. I had something in my face. I touch it... It was a mask. I try to take it out, but it was stuck. I pull it off with all my strength and rip out my own skin in the process. I hurt a lot, i couldn't feel my face anymore... Instead, i felt something else. A power... It felt incredible. I smile at Kamoshida and burst into flames. The fire covers me and they all get away from me. My clothes change and multiple chains surround me. Above my, a monster came out of the fire and reveal his wings. The wind pushes the guards against the wall and Kamoshida runs away from the cell. I couldn't stop smiling. The power felt incredible. Sakamoto was scared of me now.

" _ **I am the pillager of twilight... Arsene!**_ " The monster above me introduces himself. I look at my new outfit, but i didn't care the change at all. I felt free. " ** _I am the rebel's soul that resides within you. If you so desire, I shall consider granting you the power to break through this crisis_** " Arsene talk to me and i didn't hesitate to answer.

"Give me your power!"

" _ **Hmph. Very well**_ " He agreed

" **Who the hell are you!?** " Kamoshida ask.

"Your worst nightmare" I answer him.

" **Guards!** " He yells and the guards stand up. " **Start by killing that one!** " He points at Arsene. The guards turn into monsters. " **You'll learn the true strength of my men!** "

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

It was almost lunchtime. I go to the bathroom for a moment and was ready to go back to the classroom, but something weird happens on my way there. The corridor turns into a weird castle corridor for a second. I stopped and shake my head for a moment. I take out my phone and select the Metaverse app.

"... Don't tell there a Palace in Shujin Academy" I said Shujin and the app found a candidate. "...! No way. It's a hit" I look around and make sure no one was watching me. "Umm... Castle?" The app reacts again. I had the Place and the Distortion, but I didn't know the origin of this Palace... Who was the ruler?. "I better leave that for later. I must go back to the classroom"

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

The monster attacked me, but i didn't let them get near me. I had Arsene on my side. I command him to kill them and he did as i say. He places his hand on the ground and a wave of darkness hit them, disintegrating them completely. One of them survive and was at centimeters of hitting me. I had a knife in my hand, i didn't know in what moment i had it, but i didn't question it at all. I use my knife and stab the monster in the head multiple times. I kill him and disappear just like the others. There were no more enemies, Arsene disappears and the power a felt running through my body disappear too. I look at my clothes for a moment, they were all black and i had red gloves on. I kinda like it, it had style.

"What... What was that just now?" Sakamoto asked.

"I... Don't know" I answer. Kamoshida walked inside the cell when his guards were defeated.

"You little...!" Sakamoto stands up and punches Kamoshida in the face, making him fall to the ground.

"Ha! You like that, you son of a bitch!?" Sakamoto scream. I grab the keys that were lying on the ground and we escape from the cell and close Kamoshida inside. Kamoshida stands up and try to get out of the cell.

"Damn you!" He yell.

"Hey! What was that just now!?" Sakamoto asked me.

"I told you i don't know" I answer him.

"And... Your clothes!" He said and surprisingly enough, my clothes change back to normal. "Woah!" Kamoshida punches the cell and we jump back.

"This is crazy!" I said.

"There's no need for you to say that! Let's scram! You lead the way!" Sakamoto said and throw the keys to the river that was in front of the cells. We leave Kamoshida and try to escape this place. I must say, i was really confused. Mostly because of Arsene, but also about this castle. Where are we? There's no one that can answer our questions at the moment. I focus on getting out of here with Sakamoto. We saw prisoners in the other cells, they were unconscious and some of them were hanging in small cages near the river. Some of the saw us and beg for help. I didn't know how to help them, we couldn't do a thing for them. We just keep running. We got to a bridge. "Dammit, the bridge's up! Ain't there some way to lower it!?" Sakamoto asks.

"There has to be a way, it's our only way out, after all... And the end of the corridor is a Dead end..." I sigh. "There has to be a way out!"

"... Hey, you there!" We heard a voice. "Blondie! Frizzy Hair! Look over here!" We look at the last cell of the corridor and found something strange. A black cat... Well, it looked like a cat but it was like a cartoon cat was brought to the real world

"What is this thing!?" Sakamoto ask

"You're not soldiers of this castle, right!? Get me out of here!" The cat begs. "Look, the key's are right there!" He points at the keys hanging on the wall, away from the cell. I grab the keys and i was about to open the door, but Sakamoto stops me.

"Hey, what are you doing? What if he's an enemy?"

"He's locked up, Sakamoto. I doubt he is an enemy" I look at the cat. "Hey, you know of a way out of here?" I ask him.

"Of course i know! You want me to take you out of here? I'll do it, just let me out"

"Alright, i'll take you out, but you better not be lying" I said to him. At this point, we have nothing to lose.

"I'm not lying! It's the truth!"

"This thing sounds like it's all talk" Said Sakamoto.

"If you guys think you can get out on your own, then be my guest!" We heard the guard catching on to us.

"Are you seriously not messin' with us!?" Sakamoto asks him.

"If you don't hurry, they'll catch you" The cat was right. I take him out of the cell. He gets out and didn't lose time to point the exit. "Thank you. Now then, follow me!"

"Where's the exit, you monster cat!?" Sakamoto asks him. We stop in front of the bridge and the cat yell at him.

"Don't call me a cat! I am Morgana!" Morgana yells at Sakamoto. "You see that statue? Pull down his jaw" He points at the Kamoshida statue next to the bridge. I pull it down and lower the bridge.

"... So his mouth was a lever" I said. "That's not weird at all" I said sarcastically

"Come on. Let's keep going!" Said Morgana and we run away. In the other side of the bridge, a guard appear. Sakamoto fall on his back when he saw it.

"Aah! Shit... Shit, It's them!" He yells. My clothes change again in time. Morgana jump in front of us.

"Tch... You amateur!" Said Morgana. "Stay still" He then look at me. "Hey, you! You can fight, right? Let's go!" Morgana jump at the guard. "Come, Zorro!" He yells and another monster appear. It was a muscular man wearing black clothes and a sword.

"Y-You got one of those things too!?" Sakamoto asked

"Hmph, we will promptly shut them up!" Said Morgana. "Zorro! Blow them away!" Morgana point at one of the monsters, the pumpkin man holding a lantern. Zorro attacks him with wind and the monster disappear. "That's how you kill a Shadow" He said. "It's your turn Frizzy Hair! Show me what you got!"

"Arsene!" I summon Arsene and he attacks the demon-looking Shadow. He uses the same attack as before, but it didn't finish it off. I jump at him and finish him with my knife. The battle ended up pretty quickly.

"Not bad" Said Morgana. "Your Persona is pretty powerful"

"Persona?" Me and Sakamoto asked

"Y'mean that thing that comes outta you guys all dramatic-like?" Sakamoto asks.

"Yes. You saw how Frizzy Hair here ripped off his mask when he summoned it, right? Well, everybody wears a mask deep within their heart. By removing that..." Morgana explains and my clothes change back again.

"Huh...? He turned back to normal" Said Sakamoto.

"Hm, it looks like you don't have full control over your power yet" Said Morgana. "The transformation shouldn't normally dissolve like that. Maybe Kagura can help you little with-"

"Rrgh, that's enough! This crap doesn't make any sense!" Said Sakamoto. I didn't understand it too, but i think i had the general idea of it. That's enough for me.

"Can't you just sit still and listen for once, Blondie!?"

"Don't call me Blondie! My name's Ryuji"

"Anyway. Let's leave it for later. We need to get out of here! Follow me!" Morgana takes us to the stairs, to the exit. We ended up in a little corridor with two doors. "We're here" Said Morgana.

"Finally! We're saved!" Said Ryuji and try to open the door to our right, but it was closed. "It's not opening. D'you trick us, you jerk!?"

"Don't jump to conclusions! Over here!" Morgana open the door to the left in i follow him. We enter to a little room with ventilation shaft on top of the little library.

"Where are we supposed to get out from here!? There aren't even any windows!" Ryuji yell.

"Ugh, amateur. This is the most basic of basics"

"... Are we going out through the Ventilation shaft? I don't see another exit"

"You have a good eye" Said Morgana to me.

"I see... Then we just gotta get that metallic mesh off" Ryuji get to the shaft and take out the metallic mesh. "I got it! We're finally getting out of here! Hey, let's go!"

"You two get going. There's something i need to do first" Said Morgana. "We're going our separate ways"

"Be careful" I said.

"Heh, you better be careful too. See ya"


	8. Between the Real World and the Metaverse

_**Chapter 7: Between the Real World and the Metaverse**_

 **Akira's POV**

We get out of that castle and nothing could get worst after that... It get worst. We were late for school, a teacher was waiting for us in the entrance and get scolded. On top of that, Kamoshida was there too, but he didn't look like he remember anything of what happen in the castle. Ryoji sounded like crazy to the teachers when he said castle. I, instead, play dumb and say that i got lost and Sakamoto try to help me, but we ended up lost in the lines. I was bad lying, but they bought it. On my first day to school i ended up in a castle, summon a "Persona", fight Shadows and meet a talking cat that insist that isn't a cat... But it's pretty much a cat. I introduce myself to my class and there was already rumors about me... Most of them bad because they already knew about my criminal record, but some of them make me laugh of how ridiculous they are. I mean, seriously, i heard them say that i was an assassin and i could kill anyone with only look at them in the eyes. That's pretty funny. After school, Sakamoto told me to meet him in the rooftop. I get out of my classroom and go to the rooftop, there was a sign in the door that said "off-limits", but the door was unlocked. I enter and Sakamoto was already waiting for me.

"There you are" He said. "Sorry for calling you up here like this. I bet Kawakami already told you stuff like "don't get involved with him", huh?" He heard me and my homeroom teacher, Kawakami, talking. She said he was a bad influence. I don't believe that, Ryuji seems like a nice guy.

"She told me you are troubles... But i actually don't care"

"Really?"

"You don't seem like a criminal at least"

"Haha, what about you? I heard you got a criminal record. Everyone's talking about it. You don't seem like a criminal either"

"Looks can be deceiving... I might be a killer and you don't know a thing" I smile.

"Yeah, right..." Ryuji laughs at me. "Anyway... What was all that happened? You know, how we almost got killed at a castle... It wasn't a dream, right? You remember it too, yeah?"

"Of course i remember... But I don't know what was that place... It was so weird... I don't think we had the same dream, it must be real... I mean, it felt real"

"Yeah... But i don't know what to think anymore" Ryuji sigh. "I mean, even if it was a dream, you saved me from Kamoshida. So yeah... Thanks, Akira"

"I didn't tell you my name"

"I know, but rumors fly so fast that even your name is on the mouths of everyone"

"... Dammit. Goodbye, Social Life... Not that i care about that"

"I wouldn't worry about it too much. Rumors die in a couple of months... But man, that Kamoshida we saw there... You prolly don't know about it, but there are some rumors about him. No one says anything against him 'cause he's some medalist who took the volleyball team to nationals. The way Kamoshida was king of that castle felt crazy real 'cause of that. I wonder if we can go back to that castle again..." I was about to say something, but someone enter the rooftop. We saw the door and Kagura Kobayashi close the door behind her. She didn't pay any attention to us, she was talking with someone on the phone.

"... I see. Well, i'll buy it on my way home... Yeah, don't worry about it... Yeah, I love you too, bye" She hang up and notice us. "Huh? Well, well, well, But it isn't Akira Kurusu... And Ryuji Sakamoto. Hey, Sojiro is going to eat you alive when you get back"

"Huh? Why's that?"

"You got late on your first day... A couple of hours late and they called him to ask where've you been. Kawakami told me... Besides, looks like Sojiro wants me to spy on you to make sure you don't do anything stupid... But i'll turn a blind eye" She crossed her arms. "For a while"

"Why? Are you going to ask something in return from him?" Ryuji asks.

"Maybe... But not now. He don't have anything i want. Besides, I bet you got lost... It's only natural, it's your first time in Tokyo, and besides... I have better things to do than keeping an eye on you. I refuse to be your babysit. I'm a really busy person" Kagura look at Ryuji and then at me. "You're friends with the "Troublemaker" now, huh? That's cool. Just make sure to not screw things up... Oh, and i won't tell Makoto you are up here. She'll scold both of you if she finds out and believe me, you don't want the Student Council President to following you around. See you tomorrow on the Cafe" Kagura leave.

"Who was that?" Ryuji ask

"She works in the Cafe i live now... Her name is Kagura Kobayashi"

"Kagura, huh? ... Wait, didn't Morgana mentioned that name in the castle?"

"... You are right. You think it's the same person?"

"I don't know, but we'll know eventually..."

* * *

I open my eyes and found myself again in the Velvet Room. I get up and Caroline starts yelling at me. Justine barely looked at me and Igor was smiling like crazy from his desk. I stand up and lay on my door.

"About time you've come to" Said Caroline

"Our master wishes to speak with you. It's for your own sake that you take his words to heart" Said Justine. I look at Igor.

"First off, let us celebrate our reunion... Oh? You've awakened to your power... And special ones at that. Your rehabilitation can finally begin" Igor said.

"Rehabilitation?" I ask. I still didn't understand what all this mean.

"There is no need to understand it all for the time being. You will be training the power of Persona, which you have awakened to. Personas are, in other words, a "Mask"... An armor of the heart when confronting worldly matters. I have high expectations for you"

"..." I remain silent. I didn't want any of this, but they are pushing me to this crap. Looks like this is more and just a dream.

"You have no choice but to hone your strength" Said Justine. "It's not because we're forcing you, but because this is your fate... Neglect it and you will die"

"... Shit" I said.

"By the by... Have you come to appreciate the Metaverse Navigator?" Igor asked. "Using it will allow you to come and go between reality and Palaces"

"... That app? So you were the one who put it on my phone!?"

"I bestowed it to you as a means to train you as a thief"

"The Metaverse Navigator is a gift from our master! You better take care in using it, Inmate!" Caroline yells at me again.

"Devote yourself to your training so that you may become a fine thief" Said Justine.

"It must be disheartening to make use of the Metaverse Navigator alone. Should there be others who would prove beneficial to you, i will grant it to them as well. This is all for you to grow as a most excellent thief..."

"Now go back and enjoy whatever rest you might have" Said Caroline.

* * *

 _ **4/12 Tuesday, 2016**_

Today was a tough day. People were talking about me again, rumors got more ridiculous in just a day. In the beginning, i thought it was funny, but now... It was going out of hands. School ended and i just wanted to go back home and get this over with, but i couldn't. I was still thinking and what Igor said and that castle, i couldn't get it out of my head. In the entrance i found Ryuji. Looks like he was waiting for me.

"Yo" He said. "Hey, I wanna talk about that castle from yesterday"

"You can't stop thinking about it either, don't you?" I asked. It was obvious, What happened wasn't normal.

"I knew you couldn't either... I can't act like nothing happened. It's all connected to that bastard Kamoshida, after all. I wanna find out what's up with that place, no matter what. And y'know, you're the only person i can rely on for this stuff... So, you in?"

"Of course i'm in. Where do we start?" I didn't know where to begin.

"I think we should just try and retrace our steps from yesterday. Let's go to the station and walk from there" I follow Ryuji and we spent the next couple of minutes walking in circles. It didn't make any sense at all. We give up after the fourth try. "Is it smaller than we think it is?" Ryuji was trying to figure it out this problem we are in, me, on the other side, was wondering what Igor was talking about... The Metaverse Navigator. Maybe it's the reason it took us there. He did say that can take me between Reality and... Wait, What?

"Wait... I think i know how to get in that castle again" I said.

"For real? How?" Ryuji asks me. I take out my phone and show him the app.

"A couple of days ago, this app appear on my phone. It doesn't matter how many times i delete it, it always comes back... I think this take us there... It did say "You have returned to the real world" Didn't it?"

"Oh! I remember that. So that is some kind of Navigation app?"

"There's only a way to find out..." I touch the app and it open. It was a navigation app, it showed my last history search. "Here's something"

"Let me see" Ryuji get closer and the app talked to us.

"Kamoshida... Shujin Academy... Pervert... Castle" Said the app and show us the map. It was the school. "Beginning Navigation"

"Alright! Now then, we went in a certain direction, and... Huh?" Ryuji notices that something wasn't right, me too. The school next to us change drastically and turn into the castle we saw yesterday. We enter without a second thought. "We made it back... That means what happened yesterday was for real..." Ryuji looks at me and looked surprised. "Yeargh! Those clothes!" He said. I look down and i had the same outfit from yesterday when i summoned Arsene. "That happened last time too, huh!? What's with that outfit!?"

"... You jelly?" I couldn't help but smile at this. He was clearly jealous... Maybe he wasn't, but i bet he wanted one too.

"I-I ain't jealous!"

"Of course you are"

"What's going on here!? This makes no effin' sense at all" Ryuji yell

"Hey" We turn around and saw Morgana. "Stop making a commotion. The Shadows started acting up, so i came here wondering what it could be... To think you guys would come back to the entrance when you barely managed to escape. You are lucky that i didn't leave the Palace today, i'll be honest to you. There's someone waiting for me in other place and i can't lose any more time"

"Hey, don't leave just now. We need some answers!" Say Ryuji. "What is this place? Is it the school?"

"That's right" Morgana answers

"But it's a castle!"

"This castle IS the school. But only to this castle's ruler" Morgana explain

"The castle's ruler?"

"I think you called him Kamoshida? It's how his distorted heart views the school"

"Kamoshida... Distorted...? Explain it in a way that makes sense!" Ryuji was starting to lose it. I don't blame him, it was taking me some time to understand it too, but i think i understand it a little better than him... Thanks to Igor.

"I shouldn't have expected a moron to get it"

"What did you say!?" We heard screams coming from the castle. "What was that!?"

"It must be the slaves captive here" Morgana explains

"Slaves?" I ask and they keep screaming.

"Oh, shit... It's for real! We saw other guys held captive here yesterday... I'm pretty sure they're from our school" Said Ryuji.

"Most likely on Kamoshida's orders. It's nothing out of the ordinary; it's like that every day here. What's more, you two escaped yesterday. He must have lost his temper quite a bit"

"That son of a bitch!" Ryuji yells again.

"Ryuji...?"

"This is bullshit!" Ryuji runs to the door and hit it. "You hear me, Kamoshida!?"

"Doing that isn't going to open it, you know. Still, it seems you have your reasons" Ryuji turn to Morgana.

"Hey, Monamona!"

"It's Morgana!"

"Do you know where those voices are coming from?"

"You want me to take you to them?" Morgana wasn't so sure about it. "Well, i guess i could guide you there. But only if he comes with us" He pointed at me.

"Sure" I said. "Let's go"

"Thanks man" Said Ryuji.

"All right, let's do this. Follow me!" Morgana guides us. "... Sorry, Kagura. First i have to help these idiots" I heard him said...

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

I stand in front of the Student Council's door. I waited with my arms crossed, the door opened and Makoto came out. She was carrying a lot of documents.

"I'm so sorry for this, Kagura" She said. "Thanks for helping me out with this"

"It's okay, Sojiro can survive without me in the Cafe" I take some of the documents and we went to the Principal's office. "What are this documents for?"

"Half of them are a request of the students to change some aspects of the school, others are complaints and the rest are the new members of each club... Looks like this year won't be a Manga Club" Said Makoto.

"Huh... That Club was unnecessary"

"Tell me about it... Hey..." Makoto wanted to ask me something.

"Just ask... It's a little annoying when you just shut up like that"

"... Are you sure that you don't want to be in the Student Council? You could've been the Vice President... Also, we can hang out more that way"

"I'm okay with this. I have a job and i don't have time for clubs... Sorry"

"... I understand" We enter to the principal office and leave the documents. We leave and went separate ways, but Makoto stopped me for a moment. "Can i ask you something?"

"Sure..."

"You never told me what are you going to do after you graduate. What college are you attending after High School?"

"... None"

"Huh?"

"I won't go to any college, Makoto. I can't afford it and you know it..." I was actually a little sad that i couldn't go to college, but that's how it is. I don't have the money. Besides, i had an idea to get more money. I don't know if it will work, but it was worth trying. I won't tell Makoto about it yet, it wasn't something sure.

"Yeah... Sorry to ask you that"

"It's okay..." I look at my phone for a moment. "Hey, we could hang out in the weekend, if you are not too busy. Going to the Bookstore, the Movie Theater... Like the old times"

"Yeah, i think i'm free this weekend" With this at least she'll feel better and stop worrying, not only about me and out friendship but also about those exams she had to enter college. She's been studying a lot, i know it. I saw her in the Library reading non-stop.

"Cool... I'll call you later"

* * *

 **Ryuji's POV**

I couldn't believe what i was watching. The Volleyball team was being tortured by those Shadows. Morgana tries to explain to me how all those students aren't real, but i had a bad time understanding that. All this was insane, Kamoshida most be real physically abusing them in real life. I wanted to do something for them, but those guys aren't real. So i had to memorize every single face i see. I knew most of the guys in the volleyball team, so i hasn't really hard, but the new faces... Most of them were from First Year... I can't stand it anymore, all i wanted to do now was to punch that asshole in the face. He won't get away from this, he's going down and i'll make sure of it. He'll pay for all this... Morgana takes us back to the exit, we were done for today. I already have all those faces in my head. We got to the entrance of the castle and Kamoshida was already waiting for us with more of those guards. Akira and Morgana were with me, so i didn't have to worry too much... Still, i wish i could fight back too.

 **"You knaves again?** " He asked, very annoying by our presence. " **To think you'd make the same mistake again. You're hopeless!** "

"The school ain't you castle!" I yell at him. "I've memorized their face real good. You're goin' down!"

" **It seems it's true they say "Barking dogs seldom bite". How far the star runner of the track team has fallen** " I can't believe he's going to say that now.

"The hell are you getting at!?"

" **I speak of the "Track Traitor" who acted in violence, ending his teammates' dreams. Oh,** i **can only imagine the pain of the others who were dragged under with your... selfish act** "

"Ngh..." ... That bastard

"Track Traidor?" Akira asked

" **What a surprise. So you're accompanying him without knowing anything at all? He betrayed his teammates and crushed their hopes, yet he still carries on as carefree as ever** "

"Shut up! That's not true!"

" **You've come along with this fool and are now going to end up dead... How unlucky of you** " Kamoshida order his guards. " **Go. Kill them all. Don't sully my castle with garbage** " The guards turned into a horse with horns. They were going to attack us... And i couldn't do anything at all.

"Ryuji, get back!" Akira scream. He summons his Persona and attacks the horse, but they didn't seem bothered by the attack. They run to Akira and hit him with their horns. Akira couldn't protect himself in time and end up on the floor. Morgana tries to save him, but one of the guards that haven't transform, hit him with his shield and he falls before even trying. Kamoshida step on Morgana.

"Rgh... You piece of..." Morgana couldn't move.

" **I bet you simply came here on a whim and ended up like this. Isn't that right?** " Kamoshida asked me.

"No..."

" **What** **a worthless pieces of trash, getting emotional so quickly. How dare you raise your hand at me! Though it was only temporary, have you forgotten my kindness in supervising track practice?** "

"That was no practice, it was physical abuse! You just didn't like our team!" I yell.

" **It was nothing but an eyesore! The only one who needs to achieve results is me! That coach who got fired was hopeless too... Had he not opposed me with a sound argument, I would've settled it with only breaking his star's leg** "

"... What?"

" **Do you need me to deal with your other leg too? The school will call it self-defense anyway!** "

"Dammit... Am i gonna lose again...? Not only can i not run anymore... the track team is gone too 'cause of this asshole!" I was useless. I can't do anything. He's right, i can't do anything. All i can do is to look how they die because of me...

" **Once these two are dealt with, you're next! Hahahaha** "

"Ryuji, stand up!" Morgana scream at me.

"Don't... Let him win!" Akira said. "Stand up for yourself!" They are right... But i can't do too much. If this is how is going to end, i'll make sure to give this asshole hell... I won't go down without a fight!

"You're right! Everything that was important to me was taken by him... I'll never get 'em back!"

" **Stay there and watch** " Said Kamoshida. " **Look on as these hopeless scum die for nothing because they sided with trash like you** "

"No... That's what you are... All you think about is using people... You're the real scumbag, Kamoshida!" I stand up and walk to him. I feel my right leg heavy, but i didn't care.

" **What are you doing? Silence him!** "

"Stop lookin' down on me with that stupid smile on your face!" I scream at him. In that move i feel it. I was talked to me and i feel a deep pain in my brain.

" ** _You made me wait quite a while_** " Say the voice. I grab my head as the pain got worst. It was like me head was being crushed from the inside. I scream in pain while the voice keeps talking to me. " _ **You seek power, correct? Then let us form a pact. Since your name has been disgraced already, why not hoist the flag and wreak havoc? The "Other you" who exists within** **desires** **it thus... I am Thou... Thou art I... There is no turning back! The skull of rebellion is your flag henceforth!**_ " The voice scream and a mask appear on my face.

"Hmph. What can you do?" Ask the guard that was stepping on Akira. "Cower in fear and watch!" He raises his sword. I stand up and rip out my mask as hard as i can. I felt my skin being ripped out too in the process and i burst into the flames, just like what happened to Akira. In the next second i felt a great power going through my veins. I smile at Kamoshida, i had the power to beat him. The Persona behind me was riding a boat, it was a pirate... Captain Kidd!

"Right on... Wassup, Persona... This effin' rocks! Now that i got this power, it's time for payback" The guards and Kamoshida get away from me and let go of Morgana and Akira. They stand up and join me. "Yo, i'm ready... Bring it!"

"Ngh... Don't mock me, you brat!" The guard in the golden armor transform into a knight riding a horse

"Blast him away... Captain Kidd!" I point at the Shadow. Captain Kidd shoot at lightning at him and inflict him a lot of damage. Akira summoned Arsene and with Morgana attack him with everything they got. I join them and the Shadow fall in a matter of seconds. The horses that attacked earlier disappear, they run away as soon they saw we take him down.

" **... Those cowards!** " Said Kamoshida. I didn't do much, but i feel really tired. Looks like using a Persona is more difficult than i expected. Akira makes it look so easy.

"How 'bout that!?" I said

"... So Ryuji had the potential too..." Morgana whisper

"Even if you apologize now... I ain't forgiving you!"

" **I told you this is my castle. It seems you still don't understand that** " Next to Kamoshida was... Takamaki!?

"Takamaki!?" I was confused, what was she doing here. On top of that, she was wearing a purple bikini and cat ears. "What's going on!?"

"... Something seems off" Said Akira. Kamoshida grabs Takamaki's ass and i lost it. I couldn't stand it.

"Hey! Let go of her, you perv!" I yell at him. "I'm going to cut your damn hands if you don't let go of her!"

" **How many times must** i **tell you until you understand? This is MY castle. A place in which** i **can do whatever** i **want. Everyone wishes to be loved by me... That is, everyone besides slow-witted thieves like you** "

"Takamaki! Say something! Ann!"

"Calm down, Ryuji! It seems that girl isn't the real one" Said Morgana. "She's the same as those slaves, a being made from Kamoshida's cognition of her!"

"In other words... A fake" Said Akira

" **Are you jealous?** " Kamoshida asked.

"From you? No, You make me sick" Said Akira

 **"Clean them up this instant!** " More guards appear. We were surrounded and i couldn't fight anymore. I was tired. Akira grab my hand and drag me away with Morgana running behind us. The guards chase after us, but Akira managed to lose them and take us out of the castle. We were now in the entrance of the castle.

"... Thanks, man. You really lost them in there"

"Thanks... That outfit looks good on you" He said and i look down. I don't remember changing into this.

"Should i be happy about that? Then again, it ain't as bad as yours" I point at his outfit

"... You must have an awful sense of style, Ryuji"

"Quiet... The guard are still looking for us" Said Morgana. We heard the guards talking to each other and searching for us. When we didn't hear them near us anymore, we start talking again.

"So what's goin' on? I'm completely lost, man!"

"I told you before... When a Persona-user opposes a Palace's ruler and becomes a threat to them, this happens. It's to prevent you from being affected by distortions" Morgana explain. I got half of it, but it didn't matter that much. I touch my mask.

"I this... a skull?" I asked

"Your appearance reflects your inner self. It's the rebel that slumbers within... Not that you'll get it"

"Nope..." I give up and admit that i won't understand any of this at all.

"Then stop asking questions and accept what you see for what it is"

"Easy for you to say... Wait! We're in deep shit!" I yell.

"I said to be quiet!"

"We might've gotten away here, but we're still screwed with Kamoshida at the real school" If he knows what happens here, then we are screwed

"That's quite sharp of you... For being an idiot. Relax. The Kamoshida in reality can't possibly know about what happens here. A shadow is the true self that is suppressed... a side of one's personality they don't want to see"

"So the Kamoshida here is a Shadow like the guards?" Akira asks.

"Yeah, but more powerful. That's why the other Shadows follow him. He's more powerful that all those Shadows... He's only suppressing his real form"

"So we're OK?" I ask

"For the moment, yes" Said Akira

"Did the Kamoshida in reality remember about the execution?" Morgana ask me and i remember... He was clueless about it. "There you have it"

"All right! Now that we know that, all we gotta do is-" Morgana interrupted me.

"Wait. I guided you as promised. It's your turn to cooperate with me" Me and Akira looked at him. "That's why i was super nice about teaching you idiots everything"

"Huh? Cooperate?" He didn't say any of this before we enter the castle.

"I originally came here for an investigation. Now that i found a Palace i have to go back to Mementos and report it to Kagura. All this to erase the distortion from my body and regain my real form. That is why Me and Kagura might need your help for both, stealing the treasure of this Palaces and to go deep into Mementos and-"

"Whoa, hold up. What're you goin' on and on about?" I asked "We never said anything about helpin' you out"

"Huh? Don't tell me... Are you not going to repay the hospitality i showed you?" Morgana liked surprised. "Is it because i'm not human? Because i'm like a cat? Is that why you're making a fool of me!?"

"We're busy" I said. "Anyway. Thanks for everything, cat. You've got guts, bein' a cat and all! See you around!" I run away and Akira followed me without saying a thing.

"Hey! What the hell!? Ugh, seriously! Why're you wrapping this up like everything's all hunky-dory!? Get back here!"

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

"You have returned to the real world. Welcome back" I heard the Metaverse Navigation talking to me. We were back after all the troubles we went through to get out. At least it was over and i could rest because i was tired, really tired.

"Thank god. We're back" Said Ryuji. "I dragged you around a lot, huh? Sorry, man"

"It's fine..."

"Ugh, I'm dead tired... How are you holding up?"

"I could use a nap" I said casually

"Me too... Man, I'm gonna sleep like a rock when i get home... But damn, if what we saw was for real, this is gonna get good! I totally remember the faces of the guys Kamoshida was treating like slaves. Once we make 'em fess up to any physical abuse, Kamoshida will be done. So... wanna help me look for those guys or any witnesses?"

"Let's leave for tomorrow. I can't move anymore" I said, i was really tired.

"Of course. Tomorrow's the Volleyball rally, we won't get classes in the afternoon, so we can ask around... No one takes what i say seriously. Still, those rumors about him gettin' physical might be real. And after seein' Kamoshida's distorted-heart thing in persona, there's no way i can sit back!"

"Me neither. That asshole is going down, Ryuji" I give him my hand and he shook it.

"I'm countin' on you!" Everything stopped for a second and i heard a voice in my head, just like Arsene did before, but this one was a woman's voice and my head wasn't hurting.

 ** _I am Thou, Thou art I..._**

 ** _Thou hast acquired a new vow._**

 ** _It shall become the wings of rebellion_**

 ** _that breaketh thy chains of captivity_**

 ** _With the birth of the Chariot Persona,_**

 ** _I have obtained the winds of blessing that_**

 ** _shall lead to freedom and new power..._**

I saw a card on top of Ryuji's head. Just like before, i could move, but everything around me was frozen. I felt a bond between Ryuji and me... Maybe this has to do with Igor and that Velvet Room, i will find out soon enough. Everything go back to normal and Ryuji move again.

"Hey, I haven't eaten anything since lunch. It'd be weird splittin' off now, so why don't we grab a bite somewhere?" Ryuji was inviting me to eat somewhere. I shrug and accept his offer.

"Sure, you lead the way"

"Alright, follow me!" Ryuji and I spend time in a ramen shop. I end up telling him how i transfer and what happen. I didn't told him everything, but it was okay. We talked for a while and leave before the evening. He give me his number and i give him mine so we can chat during the day if something comes up. Tomorrow we were going to ask about Kamoshida's rumors... I just wish nothing goes wrong.

* * *

I wake up and found myself again in the Velvet Room. I get up from the bed in my cell and curse out loud.

"Dammit!" I said. "I just want to sleep"

"On your feets, Inmate!" Caroline yell at me.

"Alright..." I stand up and lay on the door.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room" Said Igor. "I thought about resuming our previous conversation tonight. That is why i have summoned you. What are your thoughts? Are you becoming accustomed to this place?"

"Kind of..."

"Ah, glad to hear it. It seems you have nerves of steel"

"Not really..."

"Your rehabilitation determines if ruin can be stopped. Yet, such a feat cannot be done by you alone. Today, you entered a partnership with someone who awoke to the same power, haven't you?"

"You mean Ryuji?"

"Indeed. Involving yourself with others is an important foundation for your recovery. You've done well. That said, i am not advising the formation of superficial relationships. It must not be of frivolity, but a ring of those who would, by morals or faith, lend you their strength. In other words, they are bonds with those who have robbed of their places to belong. The expansion of said ring will, in return, help you mature as well" Igor explains.

"Personas are the strength of heart... The stronger the bonds that surround you, the more power your Persona will gain" Said Justine.

"There are countless people in the city who have talents that a weakling like you doesn't" Said Caroline. At this point, i like Justine more and Caroline. "You better rack that nogging of yours and get them on your side. We'll change that into power"

"Indeed. You should be prepared to use even myself, or your ambitions will not come to fruition" Said Igor. "We have a deal then..." I felt a bond forming between Igor and I.

 ** _I am Thou, Thou art I..._**

 ** _Thou hast acquired a new vow._**

 ** _It shall become the wings of rebellion_**

 ** _that breaketh thy chains of captivity_**

 ** _With the birth of the Fool Persona,_**

 ** _I have obtained the winds of blessing that_**

 ** _shall lead to freedom and new power..._**

"Well, you will understand it all in due time... Continue devoting yourself to your rehabilitation" Said Igor.

"Now, this conversation's over! Get lost, Inmate!" Caroline yell at me.

* * *

 _ **4/13 Wednesday, 2016**_

The Volleyball Rally wasn't what i was expecting. Kamoshida and the teachers completely destroy the student's team. On top of that, he hit Mishima right in the face with the ball. During the Afternoon we focus on getting information on the students we saw in the Palace, but no one say a word. They kept quiet, it was obvious that Kamoshida was physically abusing them because of all the bruises they had. Still, after asking for a while i got a name... Someone that could actually confess everything. I contacted Ryuji and we search for Mishima. We find him in the entrance, he was about to leave.

"Hey, got a second?" Ryuji ask him.

"Sakamoto?" Mishima asked as soon he saw it. "And Akira too...? What do you want from me?"

"C'mon, we just wanna chat" Said Ryuji. "Kamoshida's been "coaching" you, huh? You sure it's not just physical abuse?" Mishima start shaken a little as soon Ryuji said Physical abuse.

"Certainly not!" He deny it, just like the others

"What're you talkin' all polite for? Anyways... We saw him spike you today. Right in the face"

"That was just because i'm not good at the sport" Mishima defend Kamoshida

"That doesn't explain all the other bruises you've got" I said.

"They're from practice!" Mishima keep denying it

"Is he forcin' you to keep quiet?"

"That's..." Mishima was about to say something, Kamoshida appear.

"What's going on here?" Kamoshida asks. "Mishima, isn't it time for practice?"

"I-I'm not feeling well today.." Mishima obviously didn't want to go to practice.

"What? Maybe you're better off quitting then... You're never going to improve that crappy form unless you show up to practice"

"Didn't you hear? He ain't feeling well!" Said Ryuji to his face.

"Well, Mishima? Are you coming to practice or not?"

"I'll go..." Mishima said. Kamoshida looks at Ryuji right in the eyes.

"As for you, any more trouble and you'll be gone from this school for sure"

"... Bastard"

"Same goes for you" Kamoshida point at me. "Didn't the principal tell you to keep in line?"

"You have an amazing spike" I lied to him.

"Hmph. Just don't get in the way of my practice. All these unsettling rumors are making the students anxious, after all"

"That's your own goddamn fault" Said Ryuji.

"This won't get us anywhere. Let's go, Mishima. Shujin Academy is a place where those with aspirations come to learn. Unworthy students like yourselves don't have any right to be here. Get with the program!" Kamoshida leave.

"That asshole... He's gonna pay for this!"

"There's no point" Said Mishima. "Proving that he's physically abusing us... is meaningless"

"What do you mean?" I ask him.

"Everybody knows... The principal, our parents... They all know, and they all keep quiet about it" Mishima explain.

"This has gotta be a joke" Said Ryuji

"Don't be a pain. You don't understand what i'm going through. Shouldn't you of all people know that nothing's going to help!?" Mishima yell at Ryuji and he only remains silent. Mishima leaves and we were left alone.

"... I'll try one more time to persuade the other guys. That's... all i can do"

* * *

 **4/14 Thursday (After School)**

I was going to meet Ryuji in the courtyard. We had to come up with a solution about Kamoshida. On the door that lead to the courtyard there was a girl looking at her phone. She looked distracted, she didn't notice that she was blocking the door. I look at her closely, she was full of bruises... It most've been Kamoshida... That asshole.

"Huh?" She looked at me and then at the door. "Oh... I'm in the way, aren't I? Sorry"

"... Are you hurt?" I asked her.

"Huh...? Um, well" She didn't respond, instead she change the subject. "Hm, you don't look familiar. Could you be that transfer student from Class D?" I nodded. "Um, this might not be any of my business, but don't let the rumors get to you, OK?"

"... Why did you say that?"

"Well, I've helped with a similar situation before. My best friend is often misunderstood too, all because of her looks... Ah, sorry. I didn't mean to drag on like that. Anyway, I have to go to practice... I'll see you around" She was about to leave.

"... What's your name?" I ask her

"Shiho Suzui" She smile at me and leave. I go to the courtyard and Ryuji was waiting for me.

"Dammit. What the hell..." He said. "This really ain't goin' our way..." Ryuji punch the vending machine. "All of 'em kept saying the same shit Mishima was talking about! Kamoshida had to have told'em something! At this rate... It looks like we'll have to go to him directly"

"There's no point on that..."

"I know... But seriously, isn't there something we can do?"

"Mmm... We can't go to the police. The principal could come up with something and defend Kamoshida. We can't do anything to him at all either... But... What about we do something to the King? I was thinking about it for a while, but maybe his Shadow might by the key" I explain.

"The King? You mean that other world's Kamoshida? I didn't think of that, but... Is there any meaning to-"

"I finally found you" Someone interrupt Ryuji. We look around, but we didn't see anyone nearby.

"Hey, did you say something?" Ryuji ask me.

"No" A black cat jump to the table in front of us and surprisingly enough... Talk to us.

"Don't think you can get away with not paying me back for helping you" That voice... It was Morgana!

"Morgana!?" I ask

"How dare you, up and leaving me the other day!" He said

"The cat's talking!?" Ryuji asks

"I am NOT a cat! This is just what happened when i came to this world! It was a lot of trouble finding you two"

"Wait.. You came to our world!? Does that mean you've got a phone!?" I hit Ryuji in the head for that stupid question.

"Ow! What was that for!?"

"Don't ask something stupid..." I sigh

"You don't need a phone when you're at my level. I did get pretty lost making my escape though..."

"That aside, why can you talk!? You're a cat!" Ryuji yell

"How should i know!?"

"You hearing this too?" Ryuji ask me. I mess with him in this one...

"... Meow?" I said and Ryuji freak out.

"This is no time to be joking around!"

"You guys are having a rough time of this, hm? I heard you mention something about witnesses"

"Oh, shuddup!"

"You know, I know someone that could tell you a thing or two about what to do about Kamoshida" Morgana looked at me. "You were pretty close just a moment ago"

"God, that condescendin' attitude! This thing's gotta be Morgana!" Said Ryuji

"You were still doubting me!?" Morgana yell

"Quiet down!" We heard two teachers talking near us.

"(sigh) We really have to be looking for a cat in a busy time like this?" One of them ask

"I just heard a meow somewhere near here, Didn't you hear it?"

"Meow...?" I ask. "Then... Only we can hear him. That convenient"

"Looks like it... What the hell's goin' on!?" Looks like Ryuji couldn't take this anymore. He shakes his head and focus. "Anyways, what you were talking about earlier... Is it for real?"

"You're quite the skeptic for being an idiot"

"Hey, tell us more. Who is this person you were talking about?" Ryuji ask. I took a wild guess at this point.

"You said her name before... Kagura" I said. "Could it be... Kagura Kobayashi?"

"Oh, you know Kagura?" Morgana ask me. "She knows a lot about Palaces. After all, she's been doing this for a long time. If you know where is she, take me to her"

"Alright, then..." Ryuji grab Morgana. "Here, stick it in your bag for now. It should be just small enough to fit"

"Hey! How dare you treat me like-"

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

I yawn, i was standing next to the Student Council. Makoto was with me, she was talking about the new Clubs that the school had. She was asking me if i was going to be part of any of them. I simple shake my head.

"Not really" I said. "I already told you that i have work and i might not have time for a club"

"Still, if you change your mind, or if you find an open space in your time, let me know... Looks like some of the smaller groups are desperate for new members and ask the Student Council to search for any one interested.

"... Since the Literature Club die, i had no interest of any clubs. They are all boring as fuc-"

"Hey! Language!"

"I know... Sorry. It just came out"

"It's alright... Anyways, how's your mother? Is she still working in that bar?"

"She does. Sometimes i worry because it's in the night and it's in Shinjuku. I have my reasons to be a little worried... But i go with her from time to time. Sometimes that bar reminds me of the Cafe i work. It's nice, quiet and has a weird atmosphere..."

"Well, all that matters is that she's doing well"

"How about Sae? How's she doing?" I ask and Makoto looks down.

"She doesn't speak that much and sometimes she doesn't come back home. She's really busy lately"

"... I see" No one said a word. I was about to say something, but Akira Kurusu appears next to me. Ryuji Sakamoto was with him.

"Hey" Said Akira. "Can i talk to you a minute?" He look at Makoto and then to me. "It's something about the Cafe"

"... Sure" I said. "I'll call you tonight, Makoto. See you later"

"Right, see you later" I said goodbye to her and Akira take me to the corridor, he and Ryuji look around. Once there was no one near the talk to me.

"We need to discuss about Kamoshida" Said Ryuji. "How do we stop him?"

"Kamoshida?" I ask him. "What's with him?"

"That comes later, Ryuji" Said Akira. "Anyway, look at the bag" He give me his bag. I open it and a black cat was inside. What i wasn't expecting at all was the cat talking to me.

"Kagura, it's me, Morgana" He said. I looked at him for a couple of seconds before closing the bag again without saying a thing. "Hey! Not even a Hello!? Or Where've you been? You are heartless sometimes" Morgana yells.

"Shut up!" I try to not scream and get everyone's attention. I point at the two boys in front of me. "You two. Rooftop. Now!" I said and go to the Rooftop. They follow me without saying a word. Once there, i make sure there wasn't any student there and let Morgana out. "Now then... What the hell is going on!?"


	9. Confrontation

_**Chapter 8: Confrontation**_

 **Kagura's POV**

There i was, hearing what Akira Kurusu and Ryuji Sakamoto had to say. They told me the hold story, how they ended up in the Metaverse, how the awaken their Personas and the ruler of the Palaces that was located in the school, Suguru Kamoshida. To be honest, i had him at the bottom of the list, mostly because of the rumors and because i didn't care at all Volleyball. Morgana was captured by Kamoshida, that's why he didn't show up. They save him and in return, he helps them to escape the castle.

"Well, that's all" Said Ryuji. "Turns out Morgana told us you know how to do something about Kamoshida"

"So you want to go against the Shadow? Easy... Attack the castle" I said

"What do you mean?" Ryuji asks me.

"Well... The castle is how Kamoshida sees this school... Are you following, Ryuji?" He nodded. "He's absolutely clueless of what happens in the Palace because all that happens in the Metaverse, but it's deeply connected to the depths of his heart. If the castle disappears, it'll impact him in the real world... A lot. A Palace is a manifestation of a person's distorted desires. So, if that castle is destroyed..."

"His desires will go too" Said Akira.

"Correct. It's not that hard to understand... And Morgana said it was difficult to explain to Ryuji"

"For real? He's gonna turn good!?" Ryuji asks me.

"Turn good it's not how i'll put it... Erasing a Palaces essentially means forcing the owner to have a change of heart. Every crime he had committed will become insufferable for him. Kamoshida will be unable to bear the weight of those crimes, and he'll confess them himself"

"You for real!? That's possible!?" Ryuji asks again.

"Of course it is. I've been doing this for years. Kamoshida will go down and no one will ever know that I had something to do with his change of heart"

"That's amazing! You are incredible, Kobayashi!"

"... Thanks" I said. I wasn't expecting a compliment from him. "Anyway-" Ryuji interrupted me.

"So? How do we get rid of the Palace?" Ryuji was excited about it.

"Calm down a little... To change his heart, his Treasure must be stolen"

"Steal his treasure?"

"Think of it as the core of his desires... Or the heart of the Palace. Take it out and everything will go down, but keep in mind that with only stealing his desire is not enough..."

"What do you mean?" Akira ask.

"Humans needs desires to survive. The will sleep, eat, fall in love, hate... All that are in some form, Desires. Without them... The person will shut down entirely, losing his will to live... He'll die"

"He'll die!?" Ryuji yell.

"Stopping yelling, Sakamoto. You're starting to piss me off"

"Would his death be our fault?"

"... Our?" I ask. "Who said that you'll move a finger?"

"Huh?"

"I'm the one that's gonna steal his treasure, not you. The fact that you are afraid of killing a scumbag tells me that you are not determined to take any risk at all. I've been doing this for years and let me tell you, i don't fail. No one dies, but i always have present the possibility of failure... Still, Suguru Kamoshida... Is it really worth my time?"

"What do you mean by that!?" Ryuji yells at me. "We told what he's doing and you are not going to help the students!?"

"... No one i know is on the Volleyball team. It doesn't affect me, and besides... Is Kamoshida killing someone? Is he destroying a family's life? He might be torturing his students, but at the end of the day, he gets out of school and he's a nobody. I went after worse people than him, Sakamoto"

"But, still...! You have to help us!"

"... Why did you bring them, Morgana?"

"Because they can use Personas and they might help us in Mementos and stealing hearts. I want to regain my original form and while you are powerful... I think that you might reach your limit if we go deeper in Mementos. The last thing i want is for you to die down there... Alone. I don't want you to die. You need people, companions to rely on... You wanted a Palace, i found one and more Persona-users. I did my best, so please, don't let my effort to waste" I could see that Morgana was really worried about me. He remembers me of Philemon telling me that there's a limit for me and i could die. This is the moment he was talking about before, the moment where i'll find people that will help me in my quest... Morgana was right, i ask him to search a Palace, i might as well steal Kamoshida's treasure. Still, abuse is at the bottom of my list of despicable things, if he did something worst, then...

"..." I look at Morgana and then at Ryuji and Akira. I sigh and scratch my head. "You want to take down Kamoshida that badly? Fine, but this is what is going to happen. You'll do what i say and don't get in my way. When we are done, you'll leave and delete the Metaverse Navigator. The last thing i want is another Persona-user running around in the Palaces"

"We can't delete it" Said Akira. "I tried it three times and it keeps coming back"

"... I see. We'll deal with that later then, but for now... You are temporary members of the Phantom Thieves"

"Phantom Thieves?" Ryuji ask. "So you two are like some kind group? Because that name sounds cool"

"Something like that. I steal the hearts of criminals and make them confess. Maybe you heard the name in some random rumors"

"Not really, maybe i did at some point" Ryuji scratch his head. "So... We will steal his heart and he won't die?"

"As long you do what i say, then yes. We won't go now, though. I'm a busy person after all. I need to go to the Cafe and work. I can ask Sojiro for a day off tomorrow, then we'll go to his Palaces. Make sure to be prepared for anything" I take my bag and leave. "What are you going to do Morgana?"

"I'll go back to the Metaverse, for now, i'll wait for you there tomorrow"

"I see... Well, see you tomorrow"

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

Kagura leaves me with Ryuji and Morgana in the rooftop. I wasn't expecting her to be a Persona-user too. She accepts our "request" to take down Kamoshida. I bet she would have done it either way because of Morgana. Still, having someone with experience might be helpful in the Palace. I'm still a little nervous though... We might kill him if we screw it up, we better do what she say so we don't kill a man. Kamoshida might by an asshole, but he's still a human being, the last thing i want is to have a someone's death on my conscience.

"I should leave then" Said Morgana. "See you guys tomorrow" He leave the rooftop too.

"Well... At least we have someone in our side that can help" Said Ryuji. "Still... What's her problem!? She wasn't planning on helping us!"

"Morgana was the one that convinces her, so we should thank him for that"

"I guess... But still, what if we kill Kamoshida by accident?"

"Kagura knows what she's doing, at least looks like it. We should trust in her"

"I don't trust her that much... But if we change Kamoshida's heart, then my opinion of her will change... I'll go home now. Be better prepared for tomorrow" Ryuji and i leave the school and go separate ways. I took the train and go to Shibuya, from there i was going to take the train to Yongen-Jaya. On the station, i saw a girl talking on her phone... It was the same girl we saw in the castle with Kamoshida... She's in my class too, Ann Takamaki. It seems she was discussing with someone on her phone.

"Will you please give it a rest!? I told you, I'm not feeling up to it..." She said. "Wait, what!? That's not what you promised! And you call yourself a teacher!?" At this point i figure it out she was talking with Kamoshida. If rumors are true, then she and Kamoshida... "This has nothing to do with Shido... Ah!" Ann looks at the phone and starts crying. "Shiho's... starting position..." I walk to her and she saw me. "Wait... Were you listening?"

"... It was a little hard not to. You were almost yelling"

"Haven't you heard of privacy?"

"But, you were the one yelling in a public place..."

"... I was out of line. Sorry" She apologizes to me. "So how much did you hear?"

"You were arguing with someone..."

"I see... That is true. It's nothing at all... Nothing" She start crying again and run away from me.

"Wha-Wait!" I run after her. She enters the subway and keeps running until she stops near the stairways of the station. I got to her really quickly. I place my hand on her shoulder. "Hey, are you alright?" I ask, but she pushes me away.

"Stop following me! Just leave me alone!" She yells at me.

"I can't... You are crying. What happened?"

"Why...? Why do you keep worrying about me?" That was a good question. I have no reason to worry about her, but i couldn't just leave her be. Ann starts crying again.

"Let's go somewhere else... Everything will be alright"

"What the heck...? I really don't get you..."

"Sometimes i don't get me either..." We leave the station and go to Big Bang Burger. It was almost empty, so it was a good place for her to talk to me. I search a spot and we sit down. I wait for her to stop crying, it took her a while, but she finally stops. She looks at me, she didn't trust me at all, i could tell that.

"I don't have anything to talk about with you. It was just an argument..."

"With Kamoshida?" I ask and she looks at me surprised.

"... You've heard the rumors... haven't you? About Mr. Kamoshida. Everyone says we're getting it on. But... That's so not true...! That was him on the other line. I avoided giving him my number... for the longest time... He told me to go to his place after this... You know what it means" I remain quiet, but in the inside i was angry. I couldn't believe what Kamoshida wanted to do with her. Every day that passed i learn a lot about him and how messed up he is. "If i turn him down, he said he'd take my friend off as a regular on the team... I've been telling myself this is all for Shiho's sake... I can't take it anymore... I've had enough of this... I hate him! But still... Shiho's my best friend. She's all i have left at that sorry excuse of a school! Tell me... What should i do...?" She was asking me for advice... I had none. I didn't know what to say to her. "Sorry... I shouldn't have asked. It's not your problem" In that moment i thought about that castle and what Kagura told us. We can change his heart and end this. Ann told me it's not my problem, but it is... It is now. I will change his heart, not for her, but for Shiho too, and the Volleyball team. They deserve more. "What am i saying? I've barely even talked to you before..."

"It's good to let things out, Ann" I said. "You should let out your stress"

"... Maybe you are right" Ann smiled at me despite the tears coming down from her eyes. "You're so weird. Usually, everyone just ignores me... Are you really a bad person as the rumor says...? You just don't seem like it.."

"I'm bad to the bone, Ann" I said and adjust my glasses.

"Haha... Is that supposed to be a joke?"

"Kind of, i make you laugh, didn't i?" I ask and she laughs a little.

"I kinda had a feeling they were all just exaggerations"

"Well, some of them were pretty funny. I can't deny that"

"You were having a little of fun with them, haven't you? I don't blame you. Some of them were simply too stupid to believe... But when i looked at you in the corridors... You seemed lonely. Almost like you didn't belong anywhere..." Ann sighs. "Is there really no way for me to help Shiho...? I wish he just changes his mind... Like, forget about me, and everything... As if something like that would ever happen..." It sounded too convenient, considering what why were about to do tomorrow. Maybe i can talk with Kagura in the Cafe when i get back.

"It could happen" I said to her. "No one knows"

"I wasn't asking for a serious response... But i do feel a bit better now. I'm gonna head home" She stand up and grab her bag.

"Be careful on your way home"

"I will... Don't tell anyone what i told you, OK? I'll try and think of a way to persuade Kamoshida. Well... Thanks" She leave. I stand up and go back home.

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

I sat down in one of the chairs of the bar. Sojiro gives me the keys and asks me if i could wait for Akira. I said yes and he goes back home, he didn't want to wait for him. I sigh and wait for him, It took him almost an hour to come back. He enters and his eyes widen when he saw me waiting for him.

"... You were waiting to ambush me?" He asks and i laugh a little. I wasn't expecting him to actually make a joke.

"You like making jokes? Me too... The difference is that mine are more... gruesome" I throw him the keys and he catches them in the air. "Sojiro was tired of waiting, he wanted me to wait for you and give you the keys. He decided to give you a copy, just make sure to tell him when you are planning on going back at this hour... So, what took you so long? Did you hit on some girl?"

"... Kinda" He said.

"Oh... Only a couple of days here and you already are chasing a girl. You have balls" I crossed my arms. "Anyways... Tomorrow we'll go after school, I'll wait for you and Sakamoto in the entrance. Once we are in the Palace, we'll go on separate ways"

"Huh? Why?"

"... If we are going after the treasure, you can expect a lot of Shadows blocking your way. I'll make sure to open you a path, but i'll leave you, Sakamoto and Morgana alone so you can "train". If your Persona doesn't grow in power, then you'll be useless when we reach the Treasure. If i go with you three, then your Persona won't learn any ability. I want you three to be strong enough so you won't end up dead inside the Palace..." I look down and sighs. "It's a pain in the ass, you know"

"Sorry for that" He said. "... You don't seem the type of person that likes to help people. Why are you doing this?" Akira seat next to me.

"... There's no actual reason. I just got stuck with it" I was not going to socialize with him. He looks nice, but i prefer my little circle of friends and family. I don't want that circle to grow, it will be a pain later on. "Go to sleep. Tomorrow, if we are lucky, will reach the treasure" I grab my bag and open the door to leave the place. I stop for a moment and look at him. "Morgana told me your Persona is strong... Don't screw it up" I leave before he could say something. "I have to go back home and sleep... Today Mom is working so I'll have dinner alone, again"

* * *

 _ **4/15 Friday, 2016**_

 **Akira's POV**

I was listening to the lecture, i couldn't concentrate at all. All i could think about was what we are going to do after school. I was impatient, i wanted to go now and end this, but i need to stay here and listen to things that i already know. Yes, i already know this, I'm not stupid and i bet most of the students here knows it too. I feel something moving under my desk. Out of nowhere Morgana appears and freak me out. I remain calm, but i almost scream when i saw him under the desk.

"How are things going on?" He asks.

"How did you get in here!?" I whisper. The teacher stops talking and look around the class.

"Hm? Did i just hear a cat just now?" He asks. Morgana hide. "Could that rumored cat be somewhere nearby...?" Some student whisper one another. "Settle down! We're in the middle of an important lecture!" The teacher keeps talking and Ryuji starts sending me messages. Morgana look at them with me.

"Can we really trust Kagura?" He ask

"Are you cutting class?" I wrote

"I can't deal with that shit right now. I mean, we are going after Kamoshida today. Anyway, don't forget, i'll be waiting for you in the entrance" He wrote.

"He really should be in class now" I whisper. One of the students sitting near the door suddenly stands up.

"Hey... What's that...!?" He asks.

"Enough! This is a classroom!" The teacher yell

"Wait... She's going to jump!" A female student yell. Everyone in the class stands up and go outside, including me when i heard them say that it was Shiho Suzui. Ann runs to the window and saw Shiho on the roof. I was there with her and we saw in terror how she jump from the roof and hit the ground. Everyone around me screams and i couldn't look away from it. Shiho fall to the courtyard, i didn't see any blood, so there's a possibility that she might still alive. I walk away from the window and run to the courtyard. Ryuji saw me running and follow me without any question. We saw a lot of students in our way, i push them all and make my way through them. After a couple of minutes in the crowd, we got to the courtyard. All students were taking pictures of Shiho while the ambulance arrives and take her out of there. We saw how the ambulance leaves with Shiho and as soon she was taking out, more students try to get closer. In the commission, we saw Mishima freaking out and running away.

"Hey, wasn't Mishima acting weird just now?" Ryuji asks me.

"Yes... He was. Let's go" I said and we follow Mishima. We get out of the courtyard and find Mishima, he crashes with Kagura and both fall to the ground.

"Hey! What the fuck is your problem!?" She yells at him. Ryuji grabs Mishima and take him to a corner.

"Ow! Don't hurt me!" Said Mishima

"Why'd you run like that? Huh!?" Ryuji asks him. I was behind him and Kagura stands up.

"I didn't run..." Said Mishima. Ryuji hit the wall really hard.

"She jumped and tried to kill herself!" Ryuji screams at him. Kagura gets between Ryuji and Mishima.

"L-Leave me alone!" Mishima was shaking

"Calm down, Sakamoto!" She said.

"But...!"

"I saw it all. Just calm down..." Kagura turns to Mishima. "If you know something you better tell us now. There's no use to hide it. I can see it. You are afraid, aren't you? Just tell us, it'll make you feel better with yourself" I was surprised how calm Kagura was with this. I can't keep calm now, i was about to yell at Mishima too so he can tell us what happen, but Kagura was calm, really calm. "So tell me... What happen to her?" Kagura calm Mishima down. He takes a deep breath and speaks.

"Suzui... She was called out by Mr. Kamoshida!" He said. I had a feeling that Kamoshida had something to do.

"Wait, what!?" Ryuji ask

"I was called by him a number of times too... to the teacher's room. It wasn't just me or Suzui either. He'd nominate someone when he was in a bad mood... and hit them" Mishima confess. "But yesterday, he called Suzui out of the blue. She didn't make any mistakes or anything... Mr. Kamoshida seemed really irritated that day, so it must've been worse than usual..."

"He didn't... That son of a bitch!" Ryuji yells and run away.

"Sakamoto!" Kagura yells at him. "Dammit, he's going to get himself expelled for this" She said.

"He went after Kamoshida... He must be in the PE faculty office on the second floor" Said Mishima. I went after him, Mishima go with me and Kagura follow us. We got to the second floor and go inside the PE faculty office. Inside was Ryuji yelling at Kamoshida. Me, Mishima and Kagura enter the room.

"You bastard! The hell did you do to that girl!?" Ryuji yells at him.

"What are you talking about?" Kamoshida asks him. He was clearly playing dumb.

"Don't play dumb with me!" Ryuji kicks a chair and Kamoshida stands up.

"That is enough!"

"What you did... wasn't coaching!" Said Mishima, Kamoshida look at Mishima, really angry.

"What did you say?"

"You... You ordered me to call Suzui here. I can only imagine what you did to her!"

"... You're going on and on about things you have no proof of" Kamoshida walk toward us. Basically, you're simply making these claims because you can't be a regular on the team, right?"

"That's not what this is about!" Mishima yells at him.

"Even if it is exactly as you imagine it to be, hypothetically speaking... What can you do? We just received a call from the hospital. Suzui's in a coma, and her chances of recovery are slim... How would someone like that make a statement? There's no chance of her getting better, i hear.. The poor girl" Kagura walk to him.

"Woah, I can't believe i haven't brought a camera to record this" She said. "If i was you, i wouldn't confess all this in school"

"And you are...? Oh, I remember now. You are that girl Niijima is always following around, like a lost puppy. What are you doing here? Are you planning on telling the Student Council President about this? They won't believe you, not even Makoto. She's so busy with those entrance exams that she barely could care, and even if she does, the other members of the Student Council are in the Volleyball Team... They'll deny everything you say"

"Oh, i wasn't planning on telling a thing. I just came so I can hear you myself and tell you something right in the face"

"What?"

"You might think of this school as your castle, but the truth is that outside this place... You're a Nobody. So what if you were in the Olympics, nobody cares. The truth is that you are a Pathetic, Worthless, Ugly, Talentless LOSER, Son of a-" Kamoshida slap Kagura right in the face. I wasn't expecting him to actually hit her.

"You bastard!" Ryuji yell. Kamoshida ignore Ryuji completely

"Call me Loser again, and you'll regret to cross me!" Said Kamoshida. "I know everything about you, Kobayashi. I can put you down with a snap of my fingers... Do you want me to spread those rumors about your mother...? Or how about that "accident" you had two years ago?" In that moment i saw Kagura's face. First, she was surprised, then change to angry. She had her fist ready to punch, Kamoshida, but she didn't. She stops herself.

"How do you know about that!?" She said without yelling. She was controlling herself.

"I have eyes and ears everywhere. So you better not cross me again!"

"You goddamn!"

"This, again...? Does this mean we need to have yet another case of "self-defense"?"

"You shut your mouth, you son of a bitch!" Ryuji raises his fist, but i stop him in the last second. "Why're you stoppin' me!?"

"Don't let him get to you" I said.

"But still!"

"Oh? You're stopping him? What a surprise. There's no need to hold back. Why not attacking me? Ohhh, you can't. Hahaha, but of course you can't! Everyone present right now... Will be expelled. I'm reporting all of you at the next board meeting... Except you, of course" He points at Kagura. "I advise you to not say anything unnecessary unless you wanted to end like this scums"

"You can't make a decision like that!" Said Mishima

"Who would seriously consider what scum like you say? You threatened me too, Mishima, so you're just as responsible"

"Huh?"

"To think you didn't know why i kept someone as talentless as you on the team. You act like you're a victim, but you leaked his criminal records, didn't you? It's all over the internet"

"You did what...?" I ask him. "Why?"

"H-He told me to do it. I had no choice..." Mishima starts shaking again.

"Now, are we finished here? You're all expelled! You're done for; your futures are mine to take. Now get out of my sight"

"I can't believe this asshole's getting away with this!" Ryuji yell. Kagura grabs my, and Ryuji's, arm and drags us outside the room. She then helps Mishima to get out of there too. She told Mishima to go back to his classroom and then turn to us.

"I wasn't expecting him to know things about my past. On top of that, he'll expel you two... We are shorts in time now. As soon school ends, we are meeting up in the entrance. Don't waste any time" She said.

"... What does he mean by accident?" I ask her.

"Just forget about that. It not important... I wish i could've found his Palaces before. If i had, then i might have saved Suzui's life. How oblivious could i be?" Kagura shakes her head. "That doesn't matter anymore"

"Alright, then we'll meet up right after school. My mind's made up now, we are going after him!" Said Ryuji


	10. Going back to the Castle of Lust

_**Chapter 9: Going back to the Castle of Lust**_

 **Kagura's POV**

"He knows!" That's what i was thinking the whole time. I was in class and i couldn't concentrate because of Kamoshida. That bastard is no joke, i wasn't expecting him to know about "That". No one should know about it. The moment classes are over, I'll run to the entrance and go to his Palace to torture his Shadow and make him kiss my shoes and lick my toes before i steal his treasure. Akira and Ryuji had it worst though. They are going to be expelled in the next board meeting and that would be... In May. We don't have that much time. I wait patiently until school was over. The bell ringed and i grab my bag and leave, i almost run away from the classroom. On my way to the entrance, i found Akira and Ryuji in the courtyard.

"I thought that i say entrance, not courtyard" I said to them. Morgana was there too. Looks like they were talking to each other.

"We were just talking" Said Morgana. "Ryuji want to beat up Kamoshida's Shadow. I told him that he can't"

"True, you can't... Because i will" I said and everyone looked at me. "Remember when i told you that simply stealing his treasure isn't enough? Ryuji interrupted me so I couldn't tell you much. We need the Shadow to repent too. If we simply steal his treasure, the Palace will collapse and the Shadow will go down with it. The Shadow don't need to die, we can force him to repent... We'll fight his Shadow, but first, we need to find his treasure"

"I see" Said Ryuji. "Hey. It's as difficult as it sounds?"

"That depends on the Palace and it's ruler, but the tricky part is always the same, search for the treasure. Just do as i say and everything will go fine"

"Alright. I'll be counting on you" Said Ryuji. "With you on our side, it shouldn't be that difficult"

"Is it true that you're getting expelled?" I heard a voice from behind. I turn around and saw a blonde girl. I knew her, she was Ann Takamaki. It was hard to miss thanks to the rumors about her and Kamoshida. "Everyone's talking about it..."

"That asshole's at it again...!" Ryuji curse Kamoshida. "So you came all this way to tell us that?"

"If you're going to deal with Kamoshida... Let me in on it too" She said. "I can't just sit back and do nothing after what happened to Shiho!"

"Not a chance" I said to her. "This has nothing to do with you... Get lost"

"But it does! Shiho's my-"

"Didn't you heard her!? Don't get in our way!" Ryuji yells at Ann. Ann looks down and ran away.

"That was harsh" Said Morgana.

"We don't have time to deal with Takamaki" I said. "Besides. We can't take her with us. It'll be stupid, she'll get in our way"

"I hope that she doesn't torment herself over this... When it comes down to it, women don't hesitate" Said Morgana. I look down for a moment and sigh.

"Alright, let's go. We can't just stand here like idiots" We leave the courtyard and exit the school. We hide in the alley in front of the school gates.

"The moment we cross over, we'll treat each other like Phantom Thieves, so I hope you're ready" Said Morgana

"But don't get too excited about it" I said. "It's only temporary"

"I know, but it does sound cool. You come up with this name, Kagura?" Ryuji asks me.

"... Yes, it wasn't that difficult. I just wanted something that sounded cool and kinda menacing" I remember the moment i come up with the name, i have to give part of the credit to Makoto and her fear of ghost.

"Alright. So we open the app and we just gotta say the school, Kamoshida's name and... castle? Then we end up in bizarro world" Said Ryuji.

"Correct" I said.

"How the hell's all this work? Someone make it?" Ryuji asks and something come to my mind... How do they have that app? Does Philemon give them the app? If Ryuji was asking who made it, then he didn't meet Philemon and i bet Akira didn't meet him either, so he must have given them the app to help me...? I don't know, but for the moment, only Philemon could have done this... What is he planning?

"I don't know and right now it doesn't matter" Said Akira. "Maybe some creepy old man with a long nose did it, or a god trying to make money with it. I don't care"

"True. There's no point in thinking about it now... We'll show that effin' Kamoshida!"

"Let's go" I take out my phone, open the app and say the keywords. "Suguru Kamoshida... Shujin Academy... Castle" The app find the location and take us right there. I see the school disappearing and being replaced by a giant castle. I saw surprise to see this kind of castle replacing the school. I saw crazy shit in the Metaverse, some crazier than others, but this was in my top 5 around the third place. The first one was an abyss... No kidding, a literal abyss in the middle of Shinjuku. Nothing can top that one. I walk to the castle and scratch my head.

"... It's bigger than i was expecting" I said.

"Kagura... Your clothes" Said Ryuji. I look down, it was my usual clothes for the Metaverse.

"What about them?"

"N-Nothing, I wasn't expecting that kind of clothes. That mask is freaking me out, you know..." Ryuji looks at me from head to toes. "By the way... Can you even fight in that skirt?"

"I like to fight in style. The skirt won't get in the way" I look at both, Akira and Ryuji. Their clothes were cooler than i was expecting, especially Akira. He looked like an Anime thief and Ryuji looked like a thug. "Anyway, you too look good on those clothes, i won't deny that. Alright, this is what we are going to-"

"What is this!?" Ann appears behind us. Looks like she got sucked up with us in the transition between worlds.

"T-Takamaki!?" Ryuji said

"I can't believe this" I said

"That voice... Sakamoto!? And... are you Akira-kun!?" Ann looks ar Akira and then to me. "Who are you!?"

"There's no need for you to know, you're leaving now" I grab her arm and take her out of the Metaverse.

"Hey! I'm not leaving! What's going on? Where are we!? Isn't this the school!?" Ann asked me all those questions in less than a second. "Is THIS related to Kamoshida!?"

"Like i said, there's no need for you to know" I take her to the alley where the distortion ended and push her out. "Go home!"

"That was kinda harsh, you know?" Said Morgana.

"We don't need someone like her with us. She'll be dead before she even knows it" I said.

"We better be careful with that app" Said Ryuji.

"It's the first time i drag someone else to the Metaverse. She must've been really close to getting sucked in" I explain. It was certainly unexpected.

"Geez, Takamaki found out right when we were startin' off... We gotta deal with this fast!" Said Ryuji.

"Calm down. Reaching the treasure can't be done in a day. Palaces are always full of traps, labyrinths, puzzles, etc. Not to mention the Shadows that are inside" I look at the castle, i could hear the Shadows running around inside.

"The Shadows have noticed us. You better brace yourself, got it?" Said Morgana. He turns to Akira. "We are counting on you, Joker!"

"... Joker? That a nickname?" Ryuji asks.

"Don't refer to it in such a lame way. It's a code name" Said Morgana. "What kind of stupid Phantom Thief would use their name!? I'm not down for that! And there's no telling what kind of effect yelling our real names will have on the Palace... It's just a precaution"

"So he's Joker... What about you?" Ryuji asks me. I sigh and reveal my codename to them.

"... Clown"

"Pfff..." Ryuji was trying so hard to not laugh but fail miserably. "Hahahaha, Clown!?"

"Laugh all you want Sakamoto... Once we are done with this, i will kick your ass so hard you won't be able to sit down for your entire life" I say to him with a smile hiding my anger. "Did I make myself clear?"

"Y-Yes, ma'am"

"... So you like your codename?" Morgana asks Akira.

"Huh... Not bad" He said

"It's settled then. Next up is you, Ryuji. You'll be... Let's see... Thug" Say Morgana and i laugh at him.

"Are you picking a fight with me!? I'll choose it myself! Hey, stop laughing, Clown!" Ryuji yells at me, but i didn't care. "Hm... When it comes to me, it's gotta be this mask"

"... So, Skull?" I ask. "Not bad"

"Yeah! I'm Skull... What about Morgana?" He asks.

"Well... We actually didn't think on one for him. We run around in Mementos the last couple of months, so it was not really a reason for him to have a codename... He gives me one though..." I explain.

"Alright, let's see... How about Mona?" Ryuji asks Morgana. He nodded.

"Well, if Clown thinks is easier to call me like that, then i'll go with it. All right, from here on out, we're, Clown, Joker, Skull and Mona. We need to be absolutely thorough about using those code names from now on!"

"All right! Let's go nab this Treasure thing!" Said Ryuji.

"Now that all this is out of the way, i'm explaining to you what we'll do" I take out a walkie-talkie and give it to Joker. "We are going for separate ways, mostly because you need to train your Personas and i'll get on the way. I'll go around and find another entrance, if something comes up, call me and i'll go right where you are"

"Wait, you are not coming with us?" Ryuji asks.

"I told you. I'll get in your way. For the moment, Joker will be in charge of the group, i'll go alone for now. Remember, call me if something happens" I saw my way in. A couple of boxes laying on a corner, above them was a road of stairs that leads to a window. I run to the boxes and jump as hard as i can to reach the stairs. I grab the border and impulse me with my hand. Obviously, i can't do any of this in the real world. All this is thanks to my Persona and the fact that this world doesn't care about the laws of physics. I run through the stairs and slowly open the window and enter the castle...

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

We saw Kagura... I mean Clown, jump to the stairs and enter the castle through a window. I didn't saw that as an entrance, she obviously knows more than us. She's more experienced in this. I turn to Ryuji and Morgana.

"Is she going to be okay by herself?" I ask Morgana.

"Don't worry about her, we should focus on finding our way through the castle. We'll eventually find her on our way. Remember, if we have problems then call her and she'll go to us" Said Morgana and we enter the Palace through the ventilation shaft.

* * *

 **Ann's POV**

I was taking out of that weird castle. I was confused, i didn't know what was happening. That girl pushes me out of that place and i appear again in front of the school. It wasn't a castle anymore. I walk again to the alley and try to find a way back to that weird castle, but there was nothing. I must've looked stupid to the students walking around, i was walking in circles and moving my arms trying to find a way back, but nothing. My phone vibrates, i take out and find something weird on it. An app appears in my phone, it looked so weird. It was a red eye with a star in the middle... Or think it was an eye. It was so out of place. The app opens itself and looked like a navigation app. I remember what Sakamoto said... And i repeat it...

"School, Shujin Academy?... Kamoshida... And... Castle?" I said and the App react.

"Candidate found. Beginning Navigation..." Said the app and everything around my start to distort itself. I saw the school changing and a Castle appear in it's place. I didn't know what to think anymore at this point.

"This is that place from earlier..." I said. I look at my phone, that app was still active. "What's up with this app? I just said the words Sakamoto said, and I ended up-"

"Princess?" Someone said. I look up and saw a soldier with a big armor. "Princess!" He said and run after me. I didn't stand there, i just run away from him.

"Aaaah!"

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

I run through the corridor of the second floor of the castle. I had my hook sword ready for any enemy that tries to take me down. I stop in a corner and saw a Shadow guarding the door at the end of the corridor. I could kill it in many ways, but I decided to just simply walk toward him. I show myself in front of him and slowly walk toward him. He saw me and told me to stay where I was, I didn't obey him, I just keep walking he runs toward me, which was a big mistake from him. As soon I had him in my space, I jump on top of him and with my swords destroy his mask. I stab him and my swords went through him like he was made of liquid or air. I jump away from him and he takes the form of a succubus. I didn't let her take a chance to attack me, instead of using my Persona, I decided to take it out myself, I need to conserve energy. I jump at her and swing my blades, I cut her wings and she falls to the ground hitting her head. She looks up at me while I point at her with a gun, a Pfeifer-Zeliska .600 Nitro Express Magnum. It was so big that makes the Shadow sweat in an instant and beg for her life.

"P-Please, don't do it" The Succubus said. I smile at her like a crazy person and pull the trigger. With only one bullet, I destroy her head completely and the body disintegrates.

"Every time I fire this thing... It's so fucking awesome, but it also hurts... Totally worth it" I was having a good time when I make them explode with this gun. I don't use it that often because Morgana told me to not do it in front of him. He said I freak him out. I walk to the door and open it, I found myself in place that looked like a church, there was a statue of Kamoshida at the end of the room. I wanted to spit on that thing. A large group of Shadows surrounded me and prepare to attack me. I wait for them to make their move, they all jumped at me to kill me. I take out my mask and summon Kuma Lisa. With one word it was all over. "Magrydyne" Every single Shadow was crushed against the floor by an unknown force. It was a Gravity skill, basically, gravity itself crush them toward the floor. Kuma Lisa has control over a lot of elements at this point. She was strong to all attacks but weak against physical attack. She was extremely powerful, but it was weak against any basic attack. That is why I always make sure to keep my distance and kill all the Shadows before they could attack me. One physical attack and I was done for... I was more fragile than I looked like. Not to mention that my levels of stamina are low, I have to be careful on how I use my abilities, when I use it and how much I use it. But sometimes I just let myself go... All the Shadows were dead and I look for a way to keep going. Looks like the only way out was up. There was another floor in the same room.

"I see... A way out" I whisper and summon Kuma Lisa again. "Gravity Shift" I said and Kuma Lisa makes everything in the room to float. I go up and landed on the next floor. As soon I landed, the effect ended and everything falls to the ground. "This place is big... But easier than i thought..."

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

We've been inside the palace for at least 15 minutes. There were more Shadows than i was expecting. As soon we fight our first Shadow, i learn that i can recruit them and make them my Personas. It was odd, weird, but useful. Still, i have to convince them to join and i try it again on the others, but they proved to be very difficult to deal with... And quite stubborn. We stop for a moment when we find a Safe Room, a place where Shadows can't find us. We enter and talk about our progress.

"Aren't there even more Shadows here than before?" Ryuji asks me.

"I was thinking the same thing" I said.

"Just gettin' this far's been a real pain in my ass!"

"It's all because you guys provoked Kamoshida, you know" Said Morgana. "Still... He seems to be awfully on guard... I hope Clown's okay. I shouldn't be worrying though. I'm sure she can handle this"

"Anyways, how're we supposed to steal that Treasure thing?" Ryuji ask

"Don't be so hasty. First, we'll need to secure an infiltration route" Said Morgana

"... A what?"

"A path to the Treasure's location. But honestly, I think we'll need a little more manpower in order to accomplish this. Call Clown, tell her to come back and help us. Ask her if she's near the Treasure while you're at it" Morgana said to me. I grab the walkie-talkie and call her.

"Clown? Where are you?" I ask and wait for her to answer me. After a couple of seconds, she answers.

"Well... How do i put this? I think i'm near the Treasure, but something is blocking my way there" She said.

"It's an enemy?" Morgana asked.

"Not really... The Treasure is in the tower and there's no way to enter so I might need to climb it. My Persona can take me to a window, but after that, I'll have to walk. She can't take me to the top. How about you?"

"Not that good" I said. "There's a lot of Shadows here. We might need you after all"

"... Ugh, fine" She said and didn't talk for a couple of seconds. "I'll go back to the entrance and reunite with you there. Try to not die on your way there... See you in 5 minutes"

"At least we can rely on her for this" Said Morgana. We heard the Shadows talking outside of the Safe Room.

" _Still, why was the princess in such an odd place...?_ " One of them say.

"Princess?" Ryuji ask.

" _I could have sworn we were pursuing the readings of an intruder..._ "

" _It doesn't matter now. We must take her back to King Kamoshida!_ "

"... Who's this princess they're talking about?" Ryuji asks and Morgana goes outside.

"I should probably look into this!" Morgana leaves the room.

"Hey, stuff like the castle and that navigation app are mysterious... But Morgana's got 'em both beat" Said Ryuji.

"It's Mona... But yes. What is he exactly? He keeps saying he's human, but something about hi seems off. Well, he did say he don't really remember, so I'll give him the benefit of doubt"

"So you trust in him?"

"Kind of. If not, we can trust in Clown. She seems to know how all this works. How long she's been doing this?"

"I don't know, but if we success she might actually say something" Morgana came back, worried.

"This is bad!" He said. "Your friend... Ann Takamaki! She's been taken by Shadows!"

"Wait, what!? Clown send her home earlier" Said Ryuji.

"If Ann does indeed have the app, it could be possible" Morgana explain. It was the only logical explanation.

"Oh no... Don't tell me it got put on hers just like mine!? Dammit! We let her out for her own safety, and she just came back in by herself!"

"Let's go! We need to save her!" I said and get out of the room. As soon we get out, a Shadow was waiting for us in the corridor. "We'll fight our way to her!"

* * *

 _ **Kagura's weapons were a little difficult to come up with. I go with the Magnum (Pfeifer-Zeliska .600 Nitro Express) as her gun and the Shuang Gou (Chinese Hook Swords) as her main weapon, mainly because i wanted weapons that are not that usual. You don't see that many Hook Swords and about that Magnum... It's so**_ ** _Ridiculously big and over the top that i felt that i should actually put it._**

 ** _Also, i will answer some questions, now that i'm here. Because i can see that some of you might ask it later, if not... Well, i did it anyway._**

 ** _1-Kagura is as smart as Makoto_**

 ** _2- Kagura's Confidant will take a while to start_**

 ** _3- Morgana does not fall in love for Ann. I find it kinda pointless, Teddie was funnier in that aspect. (Also, i wanted Morgana to be a girl. Mostly because of the name and the fact that he's voiced by a woman in both Japanese and English. And i was debating if i should make him a girl for this fanfic but i said... Screw it, maybe next time)_**

 ** _4-Kamoshida is an ASSHOLE and deserve to DIE! (We all know that, but i just wanted to say it)_**

 ** _5- Morgana will stay with Akira. It's essential to the plot after all... And he needs to GO TO SLEEP. Once in a while :D_**

 _ **6- I find it weird that no one is asking me about Philemon in the story and why i put him in :P (I just wanted to point it out. Philemon should appear again in the next games. I kinda miss the guy)**_

 ** _7- When Kamoshida mentions the "Accident"... (You'll need to keep reading if you want to find out)_**

 ** _PLEASE, LEAVE A REVIEW :D ¡Nos vemos mañana!_**


	11. Her Awakening

_**Chapter 10: Her Awakening**_

 **Ann's POV**

I was captured. Those men wearing big armors grab me and drag me to the castle. No matter what i do, they didn't let go of me. I couldn't break free from them. I try my best to fight back, but they didn't let go of me. They chain me to a wall in a dark room and i scream at them in confusion of what was happening.

"What is this!? Some kind of filming!? Who's in charge here!?" I yelled. "What's all this about!? Seriously, I'm gonna call the cops!"

" **So, this is the intruder...** " I heard a familiar voice. I look at the darkness of the room and Kamoshida appear. He was wearing a pink cape with hearts on it and a little crown on his head. Looks like he wasn't wearing any clothes under that, besides a pink underwear. What surprised me the most were his eyes, they were completely yellow and they were glowing.

"Kamoshida!?" I ask. I remember that i heard Sakamoto he was going to deal with Kamoshida, but i still don't understand what was going on. All this was nuts. To make things crazier, I saw a blonde girl behind him... It was me! But she was wearing a bikini and false cat ears. She was smiling like an idiot. "Who's that...?" I know that i was watching myself, but it can't be real. It has to be someone else. "More importantly, what is this place!? Why's the school turned into something like this!?" If Sakamoto wasn't going to tell me, then i should have answers from Kamoshida. He ignores me and talks to one of his guards.

" **I can't believe you mistook my Ann for someone like** her" He said and laugh at me. " **Are you afraid?** "

"What is that outfit...? Have you lost your mind?" I was actually asking myself if i had lost mine.

" **I do as I please** here" He said. " **After all, this is my castle... The world of my desires** "

"This isn't funny! Enough of the bullshit, Kamoshida!"

" **The girl's decided to tell me off. What do you think of that?** " Kamoshida asks to the other me.

"Talking back is, like... totally unforgivable..." She said. She was a complete airhead

" **In that case... She should be executed** " He said and the guards approach me, with their swords in hand. " **Now then, how should** i **play with you? Shall** i **tear you into little pieces?** "

"Fuck you!" I yell at him. In that moment, Ryuji appears alongside Akira and a weird looking monster cat.

"Ann!" He yells.

" **Just when** i **was about to start enjoying myself...** "

"Sakamoto! What's the deal with this guy!? He's crazy!"

"Let her go you son of a bitch!" Ryuji yells at Kamoshida. "Touch her and i will destroy you!"

" **How many times are you gonna come back?** " Kamoshida asks at him and then turn to me. " **I bet you're just like those thieves. You came because you're pissed at me, huh? But, ah... I forget that chick's name, but it's your fault she jumped, you know** " My eyes widen when he said that... He was talking about Shiho.

"... What?"

" **You were so reluctant to throw yourself onto me that** i **had her take your place"** I couldn't process what he said. For a moment i didn't hear anything after that, i didn't hear Ryuji yelling at Kamoshida or what Akira said... Then it hit me... He and Shiho...

"... YOU BASTARD!" I yell at him and try to break free from my chains. I was hurting myself in the process. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" The guards got closer to me and raise their swords.

"NO!" Ryuji wanted to stop them, but Kamoshida gets in his way.

" **Take one more step and I'll kill her on the spot. Just sit back and enjoy the dismantlement show** " I stop fighting. I give up...

"Is this... My punishment for what happened to Shiho...?" I ask myself, Kamoshida heard me and smile.

" **That's more like it. You should've looked like this from the start...** "

"Shiho... I'm so sorry..." I prepare for whatever happens to me next, but then i heard Akira.

"Are you just giving up like that!?" He yells at me. "Don't let this asshole do whatever he wants. Fight him!"

"Huh...? I..." I shake my head. "You... You're right. Letting this pieces of shit toy with me... What was i thinking?"

" **It's like** i **always say. Slaves should just behave and-** "

"SHUP UP! I've had enough of this... You've pissed me off, you son of a bitch!" I yell and i hear a woman's voice inside my head.

" _ **My... It's taken far too long**_ " She said i a felt great pain inside my head. It was like something was crawling inside my head and trying to go out by breaking my skull. The pain got worst by the second. " _ **Tell me... Who is going to avenge her if you don't? Forgiving him was never the option. Such is the scream of the other you that dwells within... I am Thou... Thou art I... We can finally forge a contract...**_ "

"I hear you... Carmen" I said. I look up and a mask appears in my face. "You're right. No more holding back!"

" ** _There you go... Nothing can be solved by restraining yourself. Understand? Then_** i'll ** _gladly lend you my strength!_** " She said and i grab my mask. With all my strength, i take it out and feel my skin being ripped out too in the process. A big amount of Blood fall to the ground and i burst into flames. After the flames disappear, a big woman appears behind me. She was wearing a red dress, a black cat mask and she was stepping on a man with a heart mask and had another trapped in a whip. I saw one of the guards frozen in fear. I run to him, kick his sword, grab it in mid air and cut in half the other me that was with Kamoshida. She disappears and Kamoshida gets back, he was scared of me now. I didn't question what i just did. With the power i was feeling running through me, i felt like i was unstoppable... I could do anything.

"You know what? I'm not some cheap girl you can toy with... You scumbag" I said to him. "You stole everything from Shiho... You destroyed her... Now it's your turn! I will rob you everything!"

"How dare you! Enough of you insolence!" The guard melts into one and form a giant demon.

"No, I've had enough of you. No one's gonna stop me now! Let's go, Carmen!" I point at the demon. "Burn him alive!" Carmen move her hand and the demon burst into flames and fall to the ground, it wasn't dead. It was knocked out.

"It's our chance!" Said Ryuji. "You're going down!" We all jump right at him and attack from every single direction. I didn't know that i could do that. I didn't know i was this agile. The demon stands up and attacks us with wind. Ryuji was thrown away and hit the wall, Akira dodge the attack and the cat didn't move, the wind didn't affect him. The cat looks at me and yell.

"You have to hit its weakness!" He said. "Attack him with you Persona again!"

"My Persona...? Carmen!" I summon Carmen again and attack like before. Looks like fire was his weakness. "I got him!

"Let's finish him!" Said Akira and summon his Persona. A demon with wings and red clothes and a top hat. The Persona hit the ground and attack the demon with darkness. The demon falls for a moment but looks like it refuses to lose.

"To think... There would be a woman... who could stand up to King Kamoshida" He said. "I won't let you defeat me! I will destroy you all! I will-" The demon could keep talking anymore. Someone attack him from behind and shoot him right in the head and blow up part of it. The demon couldn't stand anymore and fall to the ground, only to disintegrate. Behind him was the girl i saw earlier with Akira and Ryuji. She had a big pistol on her hand. Kamoshida was looking from a corner of the room. The girl saw Kamoshida and point at him, he runs away from her and she didn't shoot at all. She just stays there and sighs.

"Why did you let him go!?" I yell at him. "Kamoshida! Wait!" I wanted to chase after him, but I feel my body really heavy. Like i had my legs tied to bags of sand. I fall to the ground, unable to move at all.

"Why'd you come here, man!? And more importantly, how!?" Ryuji asks me.

"Don't talk to her like that! She's tired" Said the cat. "Are you alright?"

"... I think i am... But i feel heavy... Wait, what is this thing? Is it alive...? How can it talk? And... Where in the world are we...!?" I didn't understand what was going on.

"Just calm down. Everything's going to be OK; don't worry" Said the cat. The girl looks at me like she was studying me. She sighs and scratches her head in frustration.

"You had to come, didn't you!? You just couldn't sit back at home watching TV? No, you had to fuck this up!" She yells. "Just when I thought we could end this tomorrow... Shit!"

"Clown, take it easy on her!" Ryuji tries to defend me. "She's obviously tired, confused and..."

"I don't give a fuck, Skull!" She yells at him. "Ugh! Fine! Grab her, we are done for today! I'll wait for you in the entrance, don't make me wait" She said and leave.

"What's her problem?" I ask.

"We were going well, then you had to go and get in the way..." Said Ryuji. "We'll explain it later. Now we need to leave" Ryuji help me to stand up and i look down. I notice that my clothes change completely.

"H-huh? Why am i dressed like this!? When did I...?"

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

I couldn't believe it. Ann Takamaki enters the Metaverse, follow us and get capture. This means she had the app too. I was starting to get sick of this. I need an answer and I couldn't get it from Ann, Ryuji or Akira. Only Philemon had the answers, but i couldn't speak to him unless he summoned me to that place. We get out of the Palace and go straight to the Station. Ann sit down in a chair while Ryuji went for a drink for her. Morgana hides inside Akira's bag and i just stay there with me arms crossed. I didn't want to hate Ann, but she screws it up. I just wanted to end that Palace so I can sleep tonight, but now i can't. Akira and Ryuji might be expelled soon, but if Kamoshida opens his mouth... I might lose my peaceful days in schools... And Makoto in the process. I refuse to let that happen. While we wait for Ryuji, Akira try to explain everything to Ann, he was being careful to not talk too loud, there were people around after all. Ryuji comes back with the drinks.

"Which one you want?" He asks and shows her the drinks, He brings three.

"Whichever's not carbonated..." She said.

"Uh... They all are actually" He said

"Then... " She grabs one. Ryuji gives one drink to Akira and the last was for me. I didn't ask for it, but he gives it to me anyway.

"... Thanks" I said.

"What about me?" Morgana asks

"Huh? But you're a cat" Said Ryuji. Ann laughs a little at them.

"Have you calmed down, Takamaki?" Morgana asks her.

"Um... Morgana, right?" Ann ask. "I really am talking to a cat... This feels so strange..."

"There are worst things than that, believe me" I said. "Morgana is the more normal thing to me in the Metaverse at this point"

"I'll take that as a compliment" Said Morgana.

"It was actually"

"And you are... Kobayashi-senpai, right?" She said and i nodded. "I hear that you are the best friend of the Student Council President, but i never saw you before..." Ann sighs. "That place... I honestly don't know what to think anymore..."

"It's only natural that you're confused" Said Morgana. "Demanding that you understand all of this right after what you went through is asking too much"

"Honestly, i still can't believe what happened... And that power... My Persona..."

"It's the will of your rebellion, Ann. With it, you'll be able to fight in that other world" Morgana explain.

"... So if what you told me is true, we can make Kamoshida have a change of heart, right? Is it really possible? Can we actually force him to confess his crimes?"

"Umm, ask Kagura" Said Ryuji and Ann look at me.

"It is... Believe when i told you that I've been doing this for a while now. I never fail on this" I said to her, i was feeling a little proud of what i've been doing for the past four years...

"It's that so? Then let me help too. I want to make him pay for what happened to Shiho. He just keeps going like nothing happened, even after what he did to her... I'll never forgive him"

"The answer is no" I cross my arms and everyone was surprised about my answer. "Just let us take care of this and as soon we are done with him, they'll leave the group too. There's no need for you to risk your life-" Ann interrupted me.

"Don't act like I'm going to drag you down. Weren't you watching? I can fight too"

"I actually didn't see a thing. I just got there when the Shadow was about to die. I just pulled out my gun and shoot him in the head. I'm not calling you useless, I'm just telling you that it's dangerous enough"

"I must agree with Ann" Said Morgana. "We are lacking in manpower, after all. With her on the team, we won't need your help that often. We'll have a balanced team, while you find the best route to the treasure. What do you say? We can accept at least another on the Phantom Thieves"

"Phantom Thieves?" Ann ask.

"..." I didn't say a thing. I wasn't thinking, i just wanted to say no again, but something was stopping me, i didn't know what it was. Maybe it was my Persona trying to force to socialize with more people by letting them join the Phantom Thieves. Damn it.

"Even if you said no, i'd just go in alone"

"Argh, fine..." I sigh in defeat. "But you'll do everything I say when I say it, understood? The last thing i want is for you to die there and those two crying for that"

"Then it's decided. Well, i hope we get along!" She said and smile at me. "I'm going to make Kamoshida atone for what he did"

"I went after people that did things way worse than him, but still... Now he's pretty high on my list of the worst people I've ever met..." I shake my head. "I guess you are part of the group now, but when we are finished with Kamoshida, all of you are out. Don't forget about that" When i say that, i saw Morgana. He looked a little sad.

"Fine by me" Said Ann. "Just let me know when you're heading back in... Oh, wait! We don't have each other's info" Ann take out her phone. "Hey, give me your number and chat ID" Ryuji and Akira take out their phones, they wait for me to do the same. I sigh again and take it own. We exchange numbers. "I'll be counting on you, then" She said and leave.

"She's such a kind girl" Said Morgana.

"More like a pain in the ass" I said. "Anyway, let's just get this over with tomorrow and... Shit"

"What's wrong?" Ryuji asks me.

"I have work tomorrow... Goddamit!"

"Too bad" Said Ryuji. "Anyway, leaving that aside for a moment. It'd be better if this group could get together quick from now on..."

"True... Our best option would be to make a secret hideout where we could discuss these things" Said Morgana and i come up with the best hideout possible.

"Let's make the school rooftop our hideout. It's off limits, so no one will bother us... And Morgana. It'll be best for you to stay in this world for now. I don't want those guard to lock you again"

"I know. Can I stay with you?"

"... Not really. Mom is allergic to cats, so if she sees you, she'll kick you out... Not literally, she loves cats, but can't have one. Such a bad luck" I look at both, Akira and Ryuji and decided who should keep Morgana for now. "Akira, take care of him. I bet Ryuji would throw him out the window if he piss him off"

"Hey!"

"Anyways, I'm done for today. I see if i can make space for tomorrow, if not... then i guess you'll have to go to the Palace without me. At least I can text you if something comes up..." I leave and shake my head in frustration. "At this rate... They stay for a while, even after we deal with Kamoshida... Should I kick them out now or just let it happen? Philemon... If this is your doing... Then i have no other option... I let them be, for now. I might teach them a thing or too in the process" I say to myself. "But dammit... Why he isn't talking to me!? Did something happen!?"

* * *

 **4/16 Saturday, 2016**

I was in the middle of a lecture when my phone vibrates in my pocket. I was lucky that my teacher wasn't looking at my direction. Still, I look at my phone and make sure that the teacher doesn't catch me. I was added to a group chat, Ryuji made and call it... The Phantom Thieves. He was really into it... I'm starting to have doubt about let him be in the group. I enter the chat and Ryuji start writing.

" _Hey, we're meeting up at the hideout after school, right?_ " He asked

" _Don't text now, we're in_ _class now_ " Said Ann.

" _Whoa! You mean you're actually listening to all this crap?_ " He asks.

" _Yeah, but none of it is sticking today..._ " Said Ann

" _I know, right?_ " Said Ryuji. " _Hey, Kagura? Are you free today or you have to work?_ "

" _... I call "Boss" in the morning. He said that Saturdays I must help him. A lot of people come on the weekends_ " I write.

" _That sucks!_ " He said.

" _Anyway, you can go without me... I'm the leader, that's why I'm choosing a second in command..._ " I can't believe I'm actually writing this. " _Akira, you're in charge. Make sure they don't die_ "

" _Roger,_ _Captain,_ " He said. " _I'll do my best to meet your expectations_ "

" _(-_-)_ "

" _Did you just make a face?_ " Ryuji ask. " _That's kinda cute coming from you_ "

" _Shut up! It's a habit!_ "

" _Anyway, where's the hideout?_ " Ann ask

" _It's the school rooftop. Don't worry, I'll open the door for you. See you three there. Good luck with work, Kagura_ " Ryuji said.

" _... It's so hard to call me senpai, Sakamoto?_ "


	12. Preparations

**_Chapter 11: Preparations_**

 **Akira's POV**

After school, we meet up on the school rooftop. Of course, Kagura wasn't there with us. She was working in the Cafe, i might meet her this evening if I'm lucky. I was the first to arrive at the rooftop. Ryuji came after and Ann was last. Morgana gets out of my bag and start discussing our plan to infiltrate the castle and reach the treasure.

"Looks like we're all here" Said Ryuji. "Mkay, let's get goin'!"

"Hold on, it's still too early for us to head to the Palace" Said Morgana

"But why? Don't we just gotta steal that Treasure thing?" He asks.

"Don't underestimate the dangers of that place. We need to prepare" Morgana explain.

"Kagura didn't prepare, she just went by herself"

"That's because Kagura is more powerful than you three combined. To her killing a shadow in like stepping a bug in that Palace. The Shadows in that castle are "Weak", just as us. That's why she went by herself and search the treasure. She left us to get stronger and learn our own limits and weakness. We need to know our powers and how to properly use them and prepare ourselves to anything" Morgana explain. I was a little surprised when he said that Kagura was stronger than us. I thought my Persona was really strong, but compare to her, it might be a baby. True, i just awake my power. If she's been doing this for years, then i logic that she's stronger.

"But... How exactly are we supposed to do that?" Ann asks.

"I'm glad you ask, Ann. First, we'll need to find better equipment for all of you. Weapons, armor, all that stuff"

"Weapon, huh? I know a kick-ass place!" Said Ryuji.

"They don't need to be real though. I explain it before. As long it looks real, the enemies will think it is and they will become real. I suggest you look for a realistic model"

"The place I was talking about sell models, so it's okay" Ryuji explain.

"In that case, you can handle that side of things. The only other thing would be stocking up medicine. Fatigue is unavoidable in a Palace if you are not used to it. And since this is your first time, you'll get tired quickly"

"And where can we get medicine?" Ann asks and Morgana smile... Or i think he smiles. It was hard to tell, cats don't smile.

"Don't worry, I know just the place. Now then, Akira and I have some business in Yongen, so let's head off for today. Don't worry, once we are fully prepared we can go"

"What about Kagura?" Ann ask.

"She doesn't really need it, but she has some medicine and her weapons... I don't really know where she got them, she don't want to tell me"

"So... We'll go tomorrow, or Monday. The next board meeting will be May 2, so we need to steal his treasure before that" Said Ryuji.

"We have time, but it's better if we do this quickly"

* * *

I take the train to Yongen. While i was there, i start reading a book. I remember what happened yesterday. I came back home and Sojiro finds Morgana in the attic, for a moment i thought he was going to throw him out, but surprisingly, he said i can keep him there and on top of that, he wanted to name him. I don't know he could be soft, I wasn't expecting it. I think he loves cats, he really looks like a cat person. I can't imagine him with a dog. We arrive at Yongen and Morgana gets out of my bag.

"We are here, now what?" I ask.

"Remember that customer you met at Leblanc yesterday?" Morgana ask. I remember that girl from yesterday, the blue haired girl with goth clothes. She looked nice, but Sojiro force to go to my room before i could say anything to her. He did call her Doctor...

"You mean that doctor?"

"Yes. There have been rumors about that doctor who prescribes medication after a quick examination. If she's the kind of doctor who gets sketchy rumors like that, maybe she'll help us out. She's somewhere in the neighborhood, right?"

"There's a little clinic near the movie theater. She must be there" I walk to the clinic and enter. To my surprise, there was no one there. The clinic was empty, except for the doctor sitting near a window. She was looking at a document.

"There she is... Now, how can we get them to give us some medicine...?" Morgana ask me.

"I'll make something up" I whisper and walk to her. She looked at me and leave everything aside.

"Is this your first visit?" She asks me. "Hm? I feel like I've seen you somewhere before..."

"I saw you in the Cafe" I said.

"Hmmm... Well, whatever... So, what are you here for today?" She asks and i think on a good lie. The best i could come up with.

"... My body feels lethargic" I said and wait for her to say something. She looks at me from head to toe.

"... Fine. Please head to the exam room" She said and guide me to the exam room. I sit down and i lie about my sickness. She writes everything down. "... In a case like your, it's usually just due to stress. I'm going to prescribe you some pain relievers, OK? Actually... I still need to restock those... So let's go with sleeping pills instead. Sleep is the best medicine anyway. Which type of pills do you want, a sweet-tasting one or a bitter one?"

"Whichever" I actually didn't think of my answer.

"How about a stinky one, then?"

"... If it works..."

"Hahaha, just kidding. There's no such pill"

"Thank God..." I whisper.

"All right, why don't we stop beating around the bush... You're not sick at all, are you? I'm not as dumb as i look you know"

"... You don't look dumb at all. If you were dumb, you just give me painkillers and throw me out of here without any questions at all. You look like a professional at least"

"That's why I'm good in my job... I'm guessing you're here because you heard the rumors about me, huh?" She discovers me. At this point, there was no point in lying.

"... Are the rumors true?"

"Most of them... You're one of those patients with an ulterior motive, huh? What's the world coming to? I guess high school kids have it tough nowadays too, huh? Well fine. I'll prescribe you some medication. But only medication that will help you recover your health"

"That's fine by me"

"You can stop by anytime you want, just don't tell anyone about this... You're a pretty weird kid, you know? I wonder what you're going to use the medicine for..."

"Killing monsters in another dimension that i can only enter through my phone because an old man with a long nose forces me to be part of this... Yep, completely normal" I thought. "What did i do to deserve this?"

"Well, as long as you don't cause me any trouble, it's not my problem..." She said. "Take a look and tell me what you need"

After a couple of minutes, i buy medicine that could come handy in the Palace. I leave the exam room and a man enter the clinic, I let him into the exam room and leave, but i stopped when i heard them talking.

"What's the reason for your visit?" The doctor asks. "Do you have a cold? Stomachache? Athlete's foot? Whatever it is, you'll need to take a number..."

"Enough of this!" The man yells. "You're the only one who could have developed that type of medicine"

"I'm afraid i have no idea what you're talking about..."

"Don't play dumb with me. Rumors has it, it's a drug so potent it can give a person unlimited power"

"Really? That's new to me"

"Developing experimental drugs, medicine, and herbal remedies violates all health regulations. Are you attempting to create a super-stimulant? A drug like that will only become a social issue"

"You're really persistent, you know that? I'm just a quack..."

"The police may not be taking action, but imagine the media will soon pick up on it. You intent to ruin my reputation again, huh? You're a disgrace to the medical community... What's with that look? That was your mistake, was it not? I won't be responsible for your criminal actions. Dispose of that "Medicine" immediately and resign. The name "Tae Takemi" Will never- Hey! Is somebody there!?" He yells and that was my sign to leave. I get out of the clinic and walk to the Cafe.

"Geez, they almost caught us" Said Morgana.

"... I feel kinda bad for her"

"Yeah... Sounded like they were talking about something dangerous... Could that woman be hiding some extra strong medicine?"

"That could work for use in the Metaverse... But it an experimental medicine, so there might be some secondary effects"

"There might, but if it's that strong, it might come in handy at the Palace"

"All right. I'll come back another day and ask about that medicine" I said and walk to the Cafe, i but when i hear my phone. Ryuji was writing in the chat.

" _You know there's a shop in Shibuya that sells model guns_ ," He writes. " _I'd be glad to take you there if you want_ "

" _Sure, let's go,_ " I write

" _Sweet. Welp, let's figure out where to meet. You know how to get to Shibuya Station, yeah?_ "

" _Hey, I can't make it. Can I trust you guys to check the place for me?_ " Ann ask.

" _You can't come?_ " Ryuji ask

" _Not tomorrow. I made plans to go see Shiho in the hospital_ "

" _Ah, gotcha. Don't worry, we got this. What about you, Kagura?_ " Ryuji waits for Kagura to answer.

" _I'm working! Stop texting!_ (╬ Ò﹏Ó)" She writes. I was surprised how fast she could make that face on her cell phone. It was impressive. Looks like it really was a habit after all. " _Besides, Tomorrow I can't. I made plans and I can't cancel it... Did you went to the Palace?_ "

" _Morgana told us is best to get medicine and weapons first_ ," I write.

" _... That's good, I guess. Then when are you going?_ "

" _Maybe Monday. You can go with us on Monday_?" Ryuji asks.

" _Yes. I only work from Thursdays to Sunday, but Sojiro gives me the day off tomorrow. He'll close the shop early. Looks like something comes up_ "

" _Alright, see you on Monday then. See you tomorrow, Akira. I'll be in front of the Station_ " Ryuji write and everybody exit the chat room.

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

I put my phone back in my pocket after checking the chat room. I grab two cups of coffee and take them to a table where there were a couple of young adults, i smile at them while I give them the coffee. Sojiro calls me to the kitchen.

"Kagura" He said. I enter the kitchen and he gives me an enveloped with money. "I'm closing soon, can you make sure Kurusu come back?"

"I'm sure he'll come back soon. I just talk to him..." I said and Akira enters the Cafe. "Speaking of the devil"

"Alright, there's no need for you to wait anymore. You can leave now. Enjoy your Sunday"

"Thank you, Boss" I said and take out my apron, grab my bag and go to the door. I look at Akira for a moment and nodded at him. "See you on Monday" I said and leave. Outside of the Cafe, it was my bicycle. Before i get up and ride to home i take out my phone and call Makoto.

"Kagura?" She answers really quickly.

"Hi, Makoto. I'm free tomorrow, we can go out"

"Perfect, where do you want to meet?"

"Let's meet in Shibuya, in the Bookstore, then we can go to the movie theater if there's a good movie"

"Fine by me. See you tomorrow"

"See ya..." I hang up and grab my bike.

* * *

 **4/17 Sunday, 2016**

I wait in front of the bookstore in Shibuya. I look at my phone while i wait for Makoto to show up. I was wearing a black jacket, white shirt, and a long red skirt. I had black boots, but most of them were hiding under my skirt. I had a bag in my right hand and with my left hand, i check on my phone. It was 11:05 AM and I were a little nervous. It wasn't the first time i go out with Makoto, but it's been a while since we did it. We've been busy lately. I saw Makoto in the crowd and raise my hand to call her attention. She saw me and walk to me.

"It's a little crowded, isn't it?" She asks.

"Yes, it is" I said. "Well, shall we go in?" I point at the Bookstore

"Sure, after that we can have lunch and see a movie. Do you know what movie are we going to see?"

"Not really, we'll decide later" We enter the bookstore and see the new books they got. Today i was going to disconnect myself from the world and enjoy the day with Makoto. Who knows when are we going to do it again.

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

Ryuji and I went to buy the model guns for him and Ann. I think that the gun I have it was good enough. Ryuji buys a Shotgun model and a machine gun for Ann. We get out of the Airsoft Shop and went to the Central Street in Shibuya.

"The owner looked like a complete asshole" Said Ryuji.

"Take it easy, Ryuji. I'm sure he have his reasons, he sell model guns of course. It's not laughing matter"

"Well... I think you are right. If i happen to sell those, i'll be kind of like him. I bet he got a lot of troubles with the cops, even if he didn't do anything wrong"

"Still, he was nice enough to explain us some things about real guns. Next time i'll come on my own and pick the weapons for you. There's no need for you to come every time"

"Yeah... Hey, isn't that Kagura?" He point at the Big Bang Burger. I saw Kagura talking with another girl. "And she's with Niijima too"

"Niijima... The Student Council President?" I asks.

"Yes, they do seem close. It makes me wonder... What was Kamoshida talking about? You remember, that "Accident" He mentioned. It make her angry. You think is that bad?"

"It could be... But i have the feeling that it's something we should look too deep into it"

"What about you Morgana?" Ryuji ask and Morgana get out of the bag. "Do you know about that?"

"That accident? No, she didn't tell me about it. I advice you to not ask her, she'll deny it and change subject in a matter of seconds. I think she'll eventually say something, just let her be"

"She said that after Kamoshida, she'll take us out of the group... Why she have to be like that? Why can we all be friendly and help each other?" Ryuji ask

"She must've her reasons" Said Morgana. I look at Kagura and Makoto talking. Almost every smile she give me were fake, but the one she was giving to Makoto was genuine. She was enjoying her time with Makoto.

"Let's leave her be. I don't want to bother her" I said and walk away from there, Ryuji agreed and follow me. We were done buying weapons and we should leave for now and kill some time. On my way to the arcade i saw a girl passing me by. My eyes looked at her for a moment, but i couldn't look away for at least a couple of seconds. The girl have chin-length curly light auburn hair and brown eyes. She was wearing the school uniform, but with a pink turtleneck cardigan with short puffed sleeves with a long-sleeved white shirt underneath. She turn to look at me, she smile at me and walk away, i just stay there, looking at her like an idiot.

"Dude, are you Ok?" Ryuji ask me.

"Yeah..." I said. Ryuji saw the girl too, he then looked at me.

"Hey, don't tell me you were staring at that girl"

"N-No, i wasn't"

"Dude, you were totally staring at her. It was a little creepy"

"No it wasn't!"

"So you don't deny it then" Ryuji smile at me like an idiot. "Just be careful, some girls might actually kick you in the balls and think you are some creep"

"Anyway... Let's go to the arcade. Just forget what just happened... I don't even know why i stare at her"

* * *

 _ **4/18 Monday**_

 **Kagura's POV**

I sit in my class without any sign of paying attention. Yesterday was a fantastic day, i spent all day with Makoto, we went to the Bookstore, Big Bang Burger and the Movie theater. The best of all, i trick Makoto and end up seeing a horror movie, i just wanted to make her cry and she kinda did. Once the movie ended, she hit me in the arm. I could tell that she was really mad at me because she leave a bruise on me. I didn't care, it was worth it. Once you see Makoto Niijima cowering in fear, it's the best thing in the world and nothing can't top that. Makoto apologies to me that night on the phone, it hurted, but i didn't care. I forgive her. It's been a while since i laugh this much at her fear of ghost and horror movies. My phone vibrate and i look at the chat room. We were going to the Palace today.

" _So I saw Kamoshida at the school gate this morning_ " Ryuji write. " _He was just standing there looking at me with this shit-eating grin on his face_ "

" _Ugh, that's annoying... He was probably mocking you_ " Ann write.

" _Honestly, seeing that got me even more fired up about this,_ " He write

" _Yeah. I'm worried about Shiho, but I want to concentrate on our operation too. And I won't let myself get exhausted like last time_ " Ann right.

" _The board meeting's May 2nd,_ " I write. " _We'll finish him this week... If we are lucky, which we are, we'll reach the treasure today_ "

" _Why are you so sure?_ " Akira ask

" _I know where it is, i'll find a way in and then reach it. I'll wait for you there. Don't make me wait_ "

" _What do you think you are? Some kind of god?_ " Ryuji asks

"(づ ◕‿◕ )づ _Praise your Goddess, Sakamoto-kun!_ " I joke around a little. I wanted to make him angry to see what happens.

" _What does that even mean!?_ "

" _Just do as your goddess say and you'll be alright. I'm counting on you..._ "

" _Alright. I'll do my best too"_ Ann write. " _No going in without me, OK?_ "

" _... See you in the rooftop_ " I write and get out of the chat room.

Later that day, after school, i wait for the whole group to arrive at the rooftop. Akira was the first one to arrive, Ryuji and Ann came later together. We all sit down and discuss our next move.

"We basically just have to go to that castle and steal the Treasure from Kamoshida, right?" Ann ask me.

"Exactly. Once we do that, he'll show up. So we have to force his shadow to repent too" I said.

"But wait, what even is a Treasure? I wanna know that before we do anything" Ryuji said.

"Didn't i explain it already? A treasure is the physical form of the Palace ruler's distorted desires" I explain. "In other words, it's the core of the Palace. Once we steal it, the Palace will crumble. That's why we need to make sure the Shadow return to Kamoshida before the place cease to exist, if the Shadow remains inside, it will die and Kamoshida with also die. Still, if you were asking what is his Treasure i don't actually have an answer. Everyone have a different Treasure, it could be something little and personal or something big and material. Who knows"

"And where is it?" Ann ask.

"At the end of the castle there's a tower. The Treasure is in the last floor. Anyway, let's go" I take out my phone. "Are you ready?" They all nodded and i open the app. In a matter of seconds we were teleported to the Metaverse, to Kamoshida's Palace. I find myself in the entrance again and sigh at the horrible castle that was before me. I notice Ryuji checking out Ann's outfit, i don't blame him. It was a little... Provocative.

"But daaamn..." He said.

"Hm? What's up?" Ann was oblivious of what Ryuji was doing.

"Nothing. I was just thinking we should choose a code name for you too" He said.

"A code name?" Ann asks

"I'm Skull" Ryuji pointed at me, then to Akira and Mona. "She's Clown, He's Joker and that's Mona"

"Judging by your costume..." Morgana was thinking on a good code name for Ann.

"I mean, she's got that tail and stuff, so... Whadda you think?" Ryuji turn to Akira. He look at Ann and come up with a code name already.

"Sexy Cat" He said with a straight face. I laugh a little and try to hide it, but everyone notice it.

"Wait! Is that what you're going to call me from now on!? I am SO not down with this!" Ann yell

"What do you want to be called then?" I ask

"Um, something better than just a little cat... Maybe... Panther?"

"Panther...? It does sound good" I said. "Sure, that'll work for me. Joker, you have that walkie-talkie with you?"

"Yes" He said and take it out.

"Keep it. We are going separate ways again. If you need help, call me. In the meantime, i'll go search the Treasure"

"Alright, be careful, Clown" Said Morgana.

"Don't worry, Mona. I can take care of myself"


	13. Exploration, Treasure and Calling Card

**_Chapter 12: Exploration, Treasure and Calling Card_**

 **Akira's POV**

I saw Kagura jumping to the stairs from before and entering the castle through a window. We saw her get inside and then we walk to the ventilation shaft. We were about to infiltrate, but something caught my eye. A sudden blue light appears and in front of me appear a cell door, next to it was Justine with a clipboard in her hands. The door opens suddenly.

"My master would like a word with you" She said, I enter quickly and find myself back to the Velvet Room. My clothes change too.

"The prisoner Akira Kurusu has returned" Said Caroline. Justine reappears outside my cell.

"Well done. It seems you have remembered my words... You truly make it worth rehabilitating you" He smiled at me. I was getting tired of ending up here almost every night and now is worst because they are making me come back while I'm awake too.

"I didn't ask for any of this!" I said and Caroline punches my door.

"Shut your mouth and listen, Inmate!" Caroline yells at me.

"I am not attempting to withhold information from you" Said Igor. "The essence of the rehabilitation that you must complete will be explained in due time. Once you encounter friends who share your aesthetics and discover your place in reality... Only then, will I explain it all. Such day should not be far off. This time, I wish to introduce you to the aid we are providing"

"Aid...?"

"Due to your potential in wielding the power of the wild card, you can handle more that one Persona. That power holds infinite possibilities. We will assist you in nurturing that potential... To that end, we must execute your Persona"

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

I was once again in front of that tower. I kill every single Shadow that stands in my way, some of them put a good fight actually, it was impressive. It took me nearly 10 minutes to get here, there were more enemies than before. I look at the door in front of me, it wasn't opening at all. I could take it down... But my Persona didn't have any physical attacks. If I use any elemental attacks on objects, it won't make any difference, the door won't open or be destroyed, even though it's made of wood. I look up and saw an open window, to get there I could climb from the outside, i just have to be careful where i step. I make my way to the window and enter before I enter, I make sure I have a way out if things go wrong and they could go wrong. Once inside i saw the whole place distorted. Meaning that the Treasure was near, the floor was unstable, the walls were glitching and the Shadows appear every five seconds after i kill one. I find a safe room and enter, i decide to wait there for a couple of minutes and see if Joker and the rest can make it here. I look at my walkie-talkie, I was about to call them, but i decide to wait instead. Joker calls me in that moment.

"Clown, where are you?" He asks.

"I'm inside the tower. I'm near the treasure, the distortion inside is worst than i thought. What about you?"

"We are near the tower, but the courtyard is full of Shadows..."

"Can you kill them?"

"Yes, but it's taking us a while, Ann is getting tired"

"Alright... I'll open a path for you in the tower. I'll clean every single floor. Keep in mind that if you encounter a Shadow inside, then they are starting to reappear. Kill the Shadows outside and climb the tower, the door is locked"

"Roger" I get out of the Safe Room and there was a big group of Shadows waiting for me.

"... Well hello there. How's it going?" I ask with a smile. The Shadows attack me, but I summon Kuma Lisa and crush them before they could touch me. I kill all the Shadow in front of me, but there was one near the stairs. He was wearing a golden armor. He points his sword at me, I did the same. I grab my swords and prepare for anything. The Shadow didn't transform, he just walks toward me and stabs his sword into the ground.

"If you wish to go any further, you have to kill me first!" He said. "Fight like a knight!"

"Sorry, but i can't do that. You are not worth my time"

"Is that so...?" The Shadow transform and turn into a giant man with a hammer, armor and a white cape. "What about now!?" He hit the ground with his hammer and all the floor disappear below my feets. I jump to the door of the safe room and open it. Now i was struggling to not fall into the void. The Shadow grab one of my legs and throw me to the stairs to the next floor. I get up as quickly as possible, the Shadow was about to hit my in the head with his giant hammer. I grab my swords and block his attack, but when i did that, i feel my body weaker. It was because of my weakness, even if i protect myself, my body gets weaker when I'm in the Metaverse, any physical hit could kill me. I need to be extra carefully. The Shadow put pressure on the hammer and i start to fall in my knees. I let go of one of my swords and i summon my Persona.

"Kuma Lisa! Garudyne!" I yell and Kuma Lisa throw him away with her stronger wind skill. I stand up and decide to kill him quickly. I take out my gun and shoot at him in the head, but the bullet was reflected and almost hit me in the shoulder. "Dammit... Lisa... Freidyne..." I order and Kuma Lisa creates a sphere of light. She throws it at the Shadow and i was blinded by a bright light, after that the sphere exploded and the Shadow was disintegrated. I walk away from that floor and go to the next, despite feeling my body sore. "I HATE my weakness... Why the fuck i have to be weak to physical attacks!? This is bullshit!"

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

We clean the courtyard outside the tower. The door to enter was locked so we had to climb the tower. Once inside, we saw the whole first floor completely destroyed and we had to jump to the little pieces of floor that remain. After that we went up, there weren't many Shadows, just like Kagura said. We make our way to the top quickly than expected thanks to her. Not only that, our Personas gain new abilities the more we fight, the more we adapt, the more we use them in battle. For me... I have more Personas know, thanks to Igor. He can create more Personas through "fusion", but it's more like an execution than a simple fusion. I didn't like it at all, but the Personas i hold don't care. They keep living within my soul... That's what Arsene told me. We went all the way to the top and we find Kagura waiting for us in the last floor. She was sitting on the last step and looking something on her phone. She looks at us and put the phone back in her pocket.

"Faster than i was expecting" She said. "Did you have any problem to get here?"

"Not at all, but from time to time there was a strong Shadow that won't let us pass to the next floor" Said Morgana. "What about you?"

"I just had a fight, minutes ago, with a big Shadow. He hit me really hard"

"Be more carefully next time"

"I know. It took me by surprise... Anyway" She looks at the last floor, it was a giant corridor, there was a giant door next to the stairs. "There's a Safe Room at the end of the corridor. We should go there before we head to the Treasure"

"Good, Let's go then" Said Ryuji and we go to the Safe Room, there we all sit down and take a breath. I saw Kagura sitting on the floor and touching one of her shoulders.

"Are you alright?" I ask her. She nodded.

"Yes, don't worry about me. It's nothing..."

"Hey... What's your weakness?" When i ask everyone look at her, except Morgana. "Because it looks like they hit you pretty hard..."

"If i'm going to tell you my weaknesses, then you should tell me yours"

"Alright... Mine is ice and light" I said. It was Arsene weakness, there are other Personas with other weaknesses, but that doesn't really matter now.

"I see... What about the rest?" Kagura looks at Ryuji and Ann.

"What? Mine?" Ryuji asks. "Well... It's wind... I think" Ryuji wasn't sure, but we all know it was. He was hit by a "Garu" skill and he just falls to the ground, feeling weak and defeated. Look like when a Shadow use your weakness against you, it hurt much more than any other skill.

"Mine is Ice" Said Ann. "What about you, Kagura?" Kagura sighs

"... My weakness is... Every kind of physical damage"

"Wait! What?" Ryuji was surprised. "So you are powerful but if someone hit you in the face you just drop dead?"

"... It's not like that... But yes. A simple punch from a Shadow is like being hit by a car sometimes" She explained. "Still, i avoid being hit and i crush them with my ability before they could even lay a finger on me"

"It's very reckless of you by just going alone in the Palace" Said Ann. "You should stay with us next time"

"Yeah, why you have to act like a lone wolf?" Ryuji ask her

"Because... Ugh, Don't treat me like I'm a kid. I know how to take care of myself" Kagura look away from everyone.

"I know... But there's nothing bad about letting others to help you. There's no need for you to do this alone, you know? We are all in this, together. And we'll end it... Together. You like it or not" I said to her. She looks at me right in the eyes, like she was studying me, searching something. She closes her eyes and sighs.

"The next time we are here again, we'll go together. Mostly because you'll need me there... Let's go for the treasure and get out of here" Kagura stand up and wait for us to prepare. We get out of the Safe Room and go to the big door near the stairs. It was closed. I saw an opening on the wall near a headless statue of a girl wearing a school uniform. We climb the statue and go through the opening. We enter and Ryuji tap my shoulder.

"Hey, look down!" He whispers and points at the floor below. There was Kamoshida sitting in a throne and yell at his guards.

"There's a ton of soldier down there" Said Ann.

"I see a door at the end" Said Kagura. "The Treasure has to be there. Let's move, don't make any noise. We don't want to fight them now" She said and walk to the door. We follow her and try our best to not be noticed by Kamoshida or the Shadows. Kagura got to the door and slowly open it, she let us enter first and she closed the door behind her. Inside there was a little corridor and another door at the end. We open the door and find a big room full of golden coins, solid gold, and gems.

"Whoa, what is this place!? Holy shit!" Said Ryuji. "That Treasure thing's gotta be in here!"

"It is Ryuji" Kagura point at the weird formless cloud of rainbow energy. "That's the Treasure" She smile and toward it.

"That cloudy thing?" I ask her.

"Yes, it's not what you were expecting, isn't it?" She said.

"You are right. I was expecting some kind of crown or something like that. Besides all this gold..." Ryuji looks at the gold at his feets.

"Well, we can't steal the Treasure in this state. It's practically impossible for us to even grab it" Kagura touch the cloud, but her hand goes through it. "See? We'll need to make it materialize before we can steal it"

"Whaddya mean...?" Ryuji ask.

"Desires have no physical form by nature" Morgana explain. "Hence, we'll first need to make the real person aware that their desires are in fact a Treasure. Once they're conscious that their desires might be stolen, the Treasure will finally show itself"

"But how do we do that?" Ann asks.

"We warn them" Kagura said with a smile on her face. "We'll tell them... "We're going to steal your heart". That way the Treasure will appear. For that, we'll send Kamoshida a calling card" She explained.

"So we're gonna send a calling card!?" Ryuji was excited all of the sudden. "That's awesome!"

"Once we do that, the Treasure will appear" Said Kagura. "We'll discuss the details about the calling card tomorrow. Our infiltration route is secure"

"So, this is it, huh?" Ann asks and Kagura nodded.

"Let's do this" I said.

"That's the spirit, Joker" Said Morgana. "Once we send out the calling card, there will be no turning back"

"Why's that?" Ann asks

"I'll explain everything tomorrow. Right now let's go back... Oh, and one more thing. When we get out, you'll feel tired"

We get out of the Palace and the Metaverse, and as soon we did it, we all felt completely tired. Like we all run through the desert for days. Kagura was tired, but not that tired, she was more sore than tired. We all go back home and call it a day. I get back home with Morgana and fall to my bed. My phone vibrates, i take it out and looks like Ryuji was writing in the chat again.

" _You all back home yet? I'm pooped..._ " He writes. " _It hit me like a goddamn ton of bricks right when I sat down_ "

" _Well, I guess we did walk pretty far in_ " Ann write. " _I'm glad we found that Treasure thing though_ "

" _So Kamoshida'll turn into a good guy if we steal that, huh... It will work, Kagura? I'm getting nervous_ "

" _My shoulder is killing me_ (T_T) _I HATE MY WEAKNESS SO MUCH!_ " She writes. " _Anyway, yes, it will work. Stop asking. You know how many people I target and change his heart!?_ "

" _... I don't know_ " He wrote.

" _More than ten. Most of them were minor criminals but the others were some real assholes. Just believe me, it'll work. We'll go the rooftop tomorrow. We need to talk about the calling card. You need to know what is it about_ "

" _Roger, Good work, everyone_ ," I write.

 _"See ya!_ " Ann wrote and I get out of the chat room. That night i sleep earlier than usual and when i woke up i feel refresh...

* * *

 ** _4/19 Tuesday_**

 **Kagura's POV**

Luckily for me, my shoulder stop hurting in the morning. Today school was more boring, i couldn't pay any real attention to the class, i just keep looking at the blackboard and my mind shut for a while. All that i care now was to steal Kamoshida's Treasure and pull out his teeth in the process. After school, i wait for everyone else in the rooftop. They all come together, gather with me and i start to explain the situation we were in.

"All right. We find the Treasure, earlier than expected. All that's left now is to send out the calling card and take Kamoshida's heart" I said.

"Couldn't we have just sent one at the beginning of all this?" Ryuji asks me.

"Not really. A Treasure won't stay materialized forever. Once the impression is gone, the Treasure will disappear" Morgana explain.

"And possibly... Forever. If we fail in stealing his heart after the calling card, it won't materialize again, even if we send another" I said. "The effect only last a day"

"The hell? That's like no time at all..." Said Ryuji. "Anyway, we can send a calling card right now, yeah? Let's do it and steal that bastard's heart!"

"Alright, we'll make the calling card. Deliver it in the morning and steal the Treasure after school. The effect won't last that much... Are you all worried about it?" I ask them

"Heh. Waited too long. We're going to pull this off, no matter what!" Ann said.

"Perfect. Then i write the card and-" Ryuji interrupted me.

"Oh, can i do the calling card!?" He asks.

"... Why are you always interrupting me?" I ask him. "I won't let you do the calling card!"

"Come on! I can do it. Please let me do it, i won't disappoint you, Kagura. I'll do the best calling card the Phantom Thieves have ever deliver"

"... That smile of you tells me otherwise" I shake my head.

"This is important. Are you sure you can handle the pressure?" Ann asks him.

"I must agree" Said Morgana.

"I really wanna get him good!" He said. "Lemme write it... C'mon, please?" Ryuji begs me. "I'll do anything"

"... Um... Joker?" I turn to Akira. "What do you say?"

"Just let him do it" He said.

"Goddamit... Fine, you can do it"

"Yeah, I got this!" He said. I take out a card from my pocket and give it to him. "What's this?"

"This is my first calling card. If you think you can do it, do it better than mine. If you do and live up to my expectations then... God helps me... You'll write the next"

"Wait... The rest? So that means..." Ryuji smile like an idiot and i didn't like that look at all. He was getting too excited for my liking.

"I'm not saying anything official yet, Sakamoto. Just do the calling card and we'll see... we'll see, don't get your hopes up"

"Oh, i won't..." He keeps smiling.

"... Anyway. That's all for today, i think. When you finish the calling card, call me. We'll make copies and spread them in school. We need Kamoshida to see it, it will have more impact if it's in every wall of school"

"Woah, now i like this" Said Ryuji. "Where you'll make the copies?"

"In my house. I have a really good printer. Send me the card and i'll make the copies. We'll take later tonight" I look at Akira and Ann. "Meanwhile, you too can go home-" Someone was calling me. I answer right away. "Hello?"

"Kagura? It's me" It was my Mom.

"Oh, Hi"

"Listen, I won't go to work today. So i was thinking... Do you want to eat outside today? Just you and me. I'll let you choose, Sushi or ramen?"

"Hmmm... Ramen. I eat sushi last week"

"Good, I'll be in Shibuya"

"Okay..." I turn around to the group. "I love you, Mom. See you later" I whisper the last part and hang up.

"Was that your mother? I heard it" Said Ryuji.

"Don't hear other people's conversation... Anyway, we are done for today. Make sure to sleep well. Tomorrow we have a heist to do. Don't forget to send me the calling card, Ryuji"

"No problem. It will blow your mind!"

"... We'll see"

I get out of school and go to Shibuya with my bike. Today i was eating outside with my mother, it's been a while since we ate outside or have a "Family time" together. She always works at night and stays at home during the day. I only see her in the morning and Sundays. I was a little happy that we were going to have Ramen together. I got to Shibuya quickly and go to a little Ramen shop and wait for her in the entrance. My phone vibrates, they were talking in the chat.

" _Man, there's son much i wanna write on the calling card. It's kinda tough figuring out what to say_ " Ryuji write.

" _Just do something similar to my calling card! It's not science!_ (」°ロ°)」" I write

" _Are you sure you're really capable of this!?_ " Ann asks

" _Don't worry, i got it. I even made a logo for us_ " He wrote.

 _"... A logo?_ " I ask

" _Yup. I'll show it to you tonight when i send you the calling card. The others get to see it tomorrow_ "

 _"Well, that's worrying_ " Ann write.

" _Hold on... Maybe it's not that bad_ " I write. " _Then again... It's Ryuji we are talking about_ "

" _Anyways, you guys should rest up. If we screw up tomorrow we're totally done for_ " Ryuji write.

" _I'm counting on you guys_ " Akira write

" _Yup, I'm sure we can do this_ " Ann write.

" _Just remember, we can't trust any shitty adults. That's why we gotta do this ourselves_ "

 _"Send me the calling card when you are done. Also, i need you (or Akira) to post them in school. I'll be waiting for you to school tomorrow. 30 minutes before it opens. Be punctual, don't make me waiting_ " I write

" _I don't know if i can be that early... So Akira, it's up to you_ " Ryuji write.

" _... Okay_ " He writes and I get out of the chat room. I keep waiting for a couple of minutes until my mother arrived. She looks like an older version of me, the difference is that she have her hair tied almost at the end while i don't have it tied at all. She was wearing a black coat and a pair of jeans. Although she's still young, she already has some gray in her hair. My mother had me when she was young. She saw me waiting and smile at me. I smile back at her.

"Mom" I said and hug her when she gets closer to me. She hugs me back and pats my head.

"Kagura, sorry if you have something to do..."

"No, it's okay. I was just talking with some classmates. Let's go inside" We enter and pick a table. We order and wait for the food to come. While we wait, we talk about a lot of stuff we don't usually talk or don't have the time to talk about. Work, school, friends... Everything was going great until she asks something i wasn't expecting.

"Hey... I heard something awful while i was working the other day. Is it true that a girl tried to kill herself in your school?" She asks me. I knew that what happened to Shiho didn't come out in the news that day. The school was trying to cover it up, but students talk and that will eventually get to someone's ear. And even if it was in the news, Mom will not hear it from there. She barely sees the TV.

"... Yes, it happened" I answer her question.

"Are you okay? I mean..."

"Yes, I'm okay... I just... Didn't expect it at all. I didn't know her, but I do know someone that i closer to her"

"I see... Why did she do it?" I was thinking if I should actually tell her that. What really happen to Shiho...

"This is actually a rumor... But supposedly the PE teacher is abusing their students, he hit them and sexually harras the female students. I don't know how true is that" I was lying obviously. I know how twisted can be Kamoshida now.

"That's horrible, Kagura. Are you ok? I mean, you are not part of the team, but..."

"I'm alright. He goes after the girls in the volleyball team... Still, it's only a rumor, i say"

"Still, that's not okay. Someone should do something about it... How about those Phantom Thieves?" My eyes widen when i hear her say that. I look at her, surprised.

"W-Who?"

"You know, the Phantom Thieves. They help us with Takeshi didn't they? After that, i've been trying to follow their actions a little. It's really difficult, but they go after the criminal. If what is happening is true, then they should do something about that teacher" The way she talked about them surprise me. Looks like she was a "fan" of the Phantom Thieves. That makes me happy, but at the same time makes me nervous. What if she finds out!?

"I think i remember them... But they are not that popular"

"That's how it should be, Kagura. People like them work better in the shadows and whatever the do to make the criminal to confess... It has to be a really good threat or some supernatural thing. I mean, you can't make a grown man repent for his actions and start crying. There has to be something..."

"... If you, be any chance, meet one of this Phantom Thieves... What will you do?"

"Thank you"

"What?"

"I tell them, thank you... I may sound like an immature woman, but... They are my heroes"

"Heroes, huh? To me they are Vigilante... But i do appreciate what they did for us... And yes, you sounded a little immature just now, Mom"

"S-Shut up. I can be a little immature from time to time. Only because I'm an adult doesn't mean that i have to be serious about everything..." Mom grabs my hands. "Kagura, do yourself a favor. Enjoy life more. I don't know what you are doing, but make sure to enjoy everything you do and do everything now, don't leave it for later... You'll regret it. Believe me. I make stupid decisions when i was young, but you... You were a good decision and i don't regret it"

"... Thanks, Mom. If it worth something... You are my hero"


	14. The Demon of Lust

**_You need to listen to the cover of Blooming Villain by Michael Pham on Youtube. It's the best cover I've heard of that theme song XD anyway, here's the battle. Also, i have a question. What's Makoto's father name? It was never revealed, or if it was, i wasn't paying attention to that.  
_**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 13: The Demon of Lust_**

 _ **4/20 Wednesday**_

 **Akira's POV**

I get up really early that day, make breakfast and go straight to school. Kagura was waiting for me with a little bag in her hands and black gloves. As soon she saw me, she grabs my arm and drags me to the back of the school. We enter through the back door, luckily the school didn't have any cameras so we didn't need to use any masks. She didn't say a thing, she gives the gloves first and then the cards.

"I don't want your fingerprints on them if something happens" She said.

"Can I ask you a question before we do this?" I ask. Morgana gets out of my bag and pays attention to the conversation. Kagura nodded. "Why do we need to leave all these copies in all school? I could leave it in the PE faculty office"

"I know... But I want him to suffer and the whole school to knows that Suguru Kamoshida is about to get his ass kicked. I'll tell you this... No one threat me, Akira. No one. If you do, I'll make your life a living hell"

"... Okay" I read the calling card out loud

 ** _"Sir Suguru Kamoshida, the utter bastard of lust. We know how shitty you are, and that you put your twisted desires on students that can't fight back. That's why we have decided to steal away those desires and make you confess your sins. This will be done tomorrow, so we hope you will be ready. From, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts"_**

"... I know it sounds a little silly, but it will work. At least he nailed it" She said

"How do you know it will work?"

"My first calling card was simpler than that and it worked either way. The thing is that the person need to be put on stress and that's another reason of why we post it all over school. We want Kamoshida to fear it, to acknowledge that he's in danger of losing everything. It will work, trust me. Ryuji did it well... But not good enough, the logo is more cute than menacing"

"True, but at least he made a good job, didn't he?"

"... It could've been better, much better" She sighs. I put on the gloves and help her to post the card all over school. The logo was a little weird and "cute" like she said, but i suppose it works. It took us 15 minutes to cover the school with the calling cards, we avoid the school staff that was arriving before school opens. We avoid being caught and get out of there before school opens. We then enter the front door like nothing happens at all. We saw all the students looking at the calling card, especially at the ones posted on the board near the entrance. We both wait near the board, Ryuji came in with a smile all over his face and Ann came later. We saw her enter the school, then going to read the calling card and then walking to us.

"Not bad, eh?" Said Ryuji with his now seemingly permanent smile. "I use Kagura's calling card for reference and a bunch of similar stuff online too" He was really proud of this.

"Um... Yeah... I know what you wanted to say, but it sounded like an idiot trying to be an adult" Ann criticizes him really hard.

"Your logo's a little lacking, too" Morgana join the conversation.

"OK, y'know what? Th-That ain't true!" Said Ryuji and look at Kagura. "You didn't give me your opinion yet! What do you think?"

"... It's okay. It's not bad, but also not great... It was average. The logo is too cute for me, i was hoping something mature and a little... intimidating. But at least it will fulfill its purpose"

"Then it's a win for me" He said. We heard the other students whispering.

" _Did Mr. Kamoshida do something wrong?_ "

" _Does this mean the rumors are true!?_ "

" _Wait a sec... Is someone gonna takes something from Mr. Kamoshida...?_ "

" _What's with this weird logo?_ "

" _And who're these Phantom Thieves of Hearts people...?_ "

" _I heard a rumor about them. They make people confess their sins_ "

" _For real!? How come_ _I didn't know about them!?_ "

"At least everyone's excited about it" Said Kagura. "Good job, Ryuji"

"Thanks! I didn't expect to hear that from you though"

"... You want me to take it back?"

"N-No, please" Kamoshida appear and everyone shut up, even us. We saw him read the card and yell at the students.

"Who's responsible for this!?" He yells. "It's... Everywhere! Who did this!?"

"Look at that. A predictable reaction for someone who knows what we mean by distorted desires" Said Morgana.

"I think it's hitting him pretty hard" Said Ryuji.

"He lost his patience... I leave more the rest of the cards in the PE faculty... He's going to freak out" Kagura smile, she was enjoying this and I have to admit... I was enjoying it too.

"Did you do this!? Or was it you!?" Kamoshida yells at the students and everyone run away from him. He saw us and walk right to us. "Was it you three!?"

"Hm? What are you talking about? We just got here and we all enter school together so... We didn't do it. I bet it was a... Phantom" Kagura joked

"So, you're playing dumb...?" Kamoshida asks her.

"I don't know. You tell me, I might be actually a dumb girl" Kagura couldn't stop smiling at him. Kamoshida got closer to her and Kagura never broke the eye contact.

"Another word and your life will be over starting tomorrow. I bet you don't want that little secret to come out, don't you?" Kamoshida threat her again and Kagura didn't stop smiling. "Eh, it's not a problem. You two will be expelled soon enough anyway... As for you... I'll force you to enter the volleyball team and the moment you set foot in the gym... You will belong to me, Kobayashi" Everything went dark of the sudden and we saw Kamoshida's Shadow instead of Kamoshida himself

" **Come... Steal it, if you can!** " He said and disappear. Kamoshida leave

"What was that!?" Ryuji asks.

"It's because of our Personas. We can see something others can't and we enter in contact with Kamoshida's Shadow, so it's natural that we see his reaction to this" Kagura explain.

"Yes, and judging from Kamoshida's response... I'm sure we had an effect on his Palace!" Said Morgana.

"Does that mean the Treasure's appeared!?" Ann ask. "We'll be able to get it today, right?"

"It's not just "today". It's ONLY today" Said Kagura. "The impact of the calling card doesn't last long, and it cannot be repeated... Never again. This will be our one chance to steal the Treasure"

"One day's more than enough for us!" Said Ryuji.

"Let's do this..." I said. We went to our classrooms and wait for school to end. As soon school finishes for the day we all enter the Metaverse and run for the Treasure...

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

We enter the Metaverse and prepare ourselves for any enemy that could jump at us. Kamoshida knew we were going to steal his Treasure, so he must be waiting for us. His Shadows are on high alert and the atmosphere of the place changed drastically, it was more dangerous than before, but i didn't care about that. I know the best route to avoid the enemies and go to the Treasure.

"All of you, follow me!" I said and climb to the window like i did before. Akira and the rest follow me very closely. We enter the castle and jump from chandelier to chandelier. In the first floor, there were so many Shadows. I look at the giant painting in the stairs that lead to the second floor of the lobby. I jump from the chandelier and landed in the stairs, I push the painting and end up in a huge corridor.

"Woah! I didn't know about this place" Said Ryuji.

"I found an elevator in the tower, it brings me here. This corridor will lead us straight to the Treasure, without fighting or losing time. Now run!" I run to the elevator and everyone follow me. We get to the elevator and go all the way to the top. We run through the rest of the tower and arrive at the last floor, to my surprise, the door was completely open and there was no one inside. It was a trap. I stop and tell the rest to wait here, if there was a trap then only one needs to check it out. I enter the room and surprisingly enough... It wasn't a trap, it was truly empty. I point at the door at the end of the room and we went straight to the Treasure. Of course, Kamoshida will show up now or when we get the Treasure, he won't let us leave the place with it just like that and besides... We need to fight him if we don't then everything will be for nothing. We enter the Treasure chamber and saw the materialize Treasure. It was a giant crown.

"Awww Yeeeeaaaaaaah! The Treasure has appeared!" Morgana was really excited about it.

"Man, it's huge!" Said Ryuji.

"I was expecting it to be huge, still, there are Treasures that are smaller than that... The bigger they are, the more ego they have" I explain.

"Ahh... This shine brings tears to my eyes..."

"Calm down, Mona" I said.

"Why's it so pretty? Isn't this Kamoshida's desires?"

"Once we take it out, it will change into what it really is... The thing that Kamoshida treasure the most and the source of his desires"

"T-Treasure..." Morgana was starting to worry me.

"... The hell is wrong with you?" I ask

"Uh, the cat's acting' awfully excited" Said Ryuji. Morgana jump to the crown, hug it and rub his face in it.

"Meeeeeooooow!"

"... That's not catnip" Said Joker but Morgana ignores him.

"All right" I go to Morgana and take him out of the Treasure. "We'll talk about your excitement about Treasures later. Now we don't have time for you to lose your damn mind!"

"Oh, um, yeah... Forgive me for displaying such an insolent sight in front of the ladies..."

"Are you talking about me or Ann?"

"Both of you... But mostly you"

"... Just... Don't do it again. It's weird" I let go of him and he falls to the ground.

"You were completely out of character too. What was that about?" Ann asks

"I couldn't stop it either... To think I'd be drawn to human desires this much... Doesn't that prove that I'm human!?"

"... You want me to be honest or a liar? I can be both" I said and look at the Treasure. "Anyway... We need to carry the Treasure... Help me out with it. I bet is heavy as fuck" We grab the Treasure and feel an impressive amount of weight. It was heavy. We carry it to the door.

"Still, that was easier than i thought! I thought for sure there'd be some insane trap or something" Said Ryuji.

"It looked that way... But it didn't... I assure you that Kamoshida won't let us take it without a fight"

"Please, i don't think he'll-" Ryuji was interrupted by Ann... Not our Ann, Kamoshida's Ann.

"Go, go! Let's go! Ka-mo-shida!" She yells. Kamoshida threw a volleyball at us and the crown fall from our hands.

"Here he is!" I said. Kamoshida jumps above us and landed next to his throne. He raises his hand and the crown fly right back at his hand. It also changes sizes too. Once he had the crown on his hand, the fake Ann runs to him and hug him.

" **I won't let anyone take this!** " He said. " **This proves that I am the king of this castle. It is the core of this world!** "

"I know, that's why i want it so bad" I said.

"Yo, pervert. Were you waiting to ambush us?" Ryuji asks him an obvious question.

" **I just made it easier to find you. I'll dispose of you myself. Right here, right now** " He said.

"That's our line, you sexually-harrasin' D-bag!"

" **What a selfish misunderstanding...** " He said.

"How is it a misunderstanding!? You were doing things that you kept in secret from other!" Said Ann.

" **The people around me were the ones who kept it secret. Adults who want to share in my accomplishments, students who have the drive to become winners... They willingly protect me so that we all may profit from it** " Kamoshida's Shadow explain. I can't deny that what he said was true to some extent.

"True, but it was you the one who did all those things. The students might be protecting you so they can profit from you, but you don't have any right to abuse your students!" I said. "You are abusing your power as a teacher!"

" **Who cares what a worthless bitch like you says!?** " He said. " **There's no wrong in using my gifts for my gain! I'm a cut above all other humans!** "

"Above...? You mean beneath. You're a goddamn demon obsessed with your sick desires!" Ann yell at him

" **Hahahahahaha! That's right. I'm not like you... I am a demon who rules this world!** " Kamoshida grabs the Othe Ann and transform. His body turns black and begins to grow in size. They crown place itself in his head and we were cover by a big shadow.

"Wh-What the hell...!?" Ryuji couldn't believe what he was seeing

"Shit, here he comes! Prepare yourself!" I said and everyone prepares for battle. Kamoshida's form was revealed. He was a larger version of himself with pink skin, four arms, his tongue was larger than his body, his eyes were wide open almost outside of his skull, he had horns on his head like a demon and the Treasure was in his head. Each one holding a cooking utensil, In one of his hand he had a glass of wine and the fake Ann was inside of it drowning in wine. Kamoshida was naked and the only cloth he has was his cape. There was also a golden cup in front of him full of woman's legs.

" **Hahaha! Gyahaha! I'm allowed to do whatever the hell I want!** " He yells and attacks me with his fork. I dodge him in time, but he hit me with his tongue and throw me against a wall.

"Clown!" Joker scream.

" **You goddamn, no-good, shitty brats! Haven't you been taught not to point at people!? Huh!?** " I stand up and run at him with my swords in my hands. My back hurt because i hit the wall pretty hard, but i didn't care. I jump at him and stab him right in the left eye. " **Ahhhhh!** " He yells. He let go of his knife and try to grab me.

"Everyone, attack him at once!" I ordered and they start attacking Kamoshida, each one using their Personas. Kamoshida grab me and before he could do something i summon Kuma Lisa. "Bufudyne!" Kuma Lisa freeze Kamoshida's arm and destroy it.

" **YOU BITCH!** " He yells at me. " **HOW DARE YOU TO DO THAT TO MY ARM! I NEED THAT ARM!** "

"Fuck you! What are you gonna do about it?" I ask. Kamoshida takes one of the legs on the cup and swallow it. When he did that, his arm regenerates, as well his eye. "... THAT'S CHEATING!"

" **Come at me, you pieces of shit! I ain't lettin' you sleep tonight!** " He said. He attacked again, this time with three of his arms. We take cover, Ryuji summons Captain Kidd and shoot Ziodyne at him. Ann attacks him with fire because that's all she could do, but it's proving to be more effective. I look at the cup and then at Kamoshida.

"We need to grab the Treasure, but we also need to get rid of that cup... If i attack him with everything i have then i could destroy the Treasure in the process... And i don't want that" I thought for a moment in a plan. It was simple and it will work. "Joker, Destroy that cup! Skull, Panther, Mona! Keep him busy! I'll go for the Treasure!"

"Alright! Let's do this!" Joker summons Arsene and attacks the cup, he cracked it and Kamoshida lose it.

" **Hey! You don't know what this is worth, so stop touching it! Don't do it anymore, got it? I've warned you!** " Kamoshida yell at Joker.

"When someone tells us not to do something, it makes us want to do it even more!" Said Morgana. Kamoshida focuses on Joker now, so i take this chance and run to the second floor. Everyone keep Kamoshida busy and focused on them so i can sneak and get the Treasure. I need to be careful to not damage the Treasure, if i destroy it will be the same than killing Kamoshida in real life. The Shadow need to live too, so i might kill him by accident if i use all my power. I saw Joker destroying the cup and it shatter in a million of pieces. That debilitate Kamoshida a little.

" **No way,** " He said. " **This was from when i won the national... That's it you brat!** " Kamoshida let go of everything he was holding. A volley ball appear in mid air, he jump at hit it right at them. When the ball hit the ground, all the area exploded. I was about to check on them to see if they were fine. The smoke cover the whole floor and Kamoshida laugh at them, thinking they are all dead. At some point i think that too, but they weren't that weak. From the smoke, a spear was launched and hit Kamoshida in the chest. A new Persona disipate the smoke, a knight with red armor riding a horse. Joker summoned another Persona. Morgana told me about his ability after Ann awaken to her Persona.

"Eligor!" He yell and order the Persona to attack again. The Persona ride his horse and retrieve his spear, only to attack again. I saw a chandelier just right above Kamoshida. I jump at it and prepare to steal his crown.

" **I will kill you all for your insolence...! Wait, Is there one less of you!?** " He already notice it. I didn't expect him to notice it this quickly. "I knew it! Where's she!?" I jump from the chandelier and kick the crown from his head. Once i was in his head i stab him there and he start to scream in pain. " **Aahhh! M-My head... My... My precious!** "

"Fuck you, Kamoshida!" I stab him multiple times, he fall to the ground and i jump away from him and join the others. We get out our guns and point at him.

" **You think that you can get away with doing such a thing!? Do you realize who i am!? ... I am Kamoshida! Don't you get it!?** "

"So what?" Joker ask.

" **Huh...!?** "

"Sorry, but can do repeat it? I think nobody heard you" I said.

" **Like i keep saying! I am Kamoshida! I'm the king!** "

"Yeah... The King of nowhere!" I said.

"You look down on everyone... But you're seriously lame right now" Said Ryuji.

"We came all this way to steal that Treasure! Now is ours!" Said Ann

" **Silence! I won't let the likes of you have this!** "

"You still have the energy to say things like that!?" Morgana asks.

"Not for long! Everyone, All-out-attack!" We all jump back and then jump right at him with our weapons in hand. We attack Kamoshida from every single direction possible. He didn't know where to look, where to attack or what to say, he was confused. He scream in frustration and then i jump right at his face and this time stab him in both of his eyes. "You are done for! Now your future is mine to take, Asshole!" I jump back and Kamoshida fall to the ground, defeated. The crown roll to us and end up in front of Joker. We were about to take it, but Kamoshida regain his previous form and grab the crown only to run away with it. We saw him running to the balcony, he was cornered. There was nowhere for him to go.

"What's wrong? Not running away?" Ann ask him. "Why don't you run? Aren't you a great athlete?" Kamoshida look at us, he was sweating.

" **It's always been like this... All those goddamn hyenas forcing their expectations on me! I'm doing this all for them! What's wrong about demanding a reward for that!?** "

"Now you're makin' excuses...?" Ryuji ask. "We'll do something about that distorted heart of yours"

"Are you scared?" Ann ask. "Right now, you've seeing the same view that Shiho did. I'm sure she was scared too... except she had no choice but to jump... What will you do? Will you jump? Or would you rather die here?"

"He won't jump, Ann. Shadows can't commit suicide. They are cowards be nature" I said. Ann take out her mask and summon Carmen.

"Do you want to finish him off? It's your call" Said Morgana.

"... Reconsider what you are about to do, Takamaki" I said. "If you kill him... You are not better than him" Ann didn't speak. Carmen prepare to attack Kamoshida. If she really wanted to kill him, she could've killed him earlier when he was on the floor.

" **No, please wait! I beg you... Just forgive me!** "

"Shut up. I bet everyone told you the same!" Said Ann. "But you... You took everything from them!" Carmen throw fire at him and miss him by only a few centemeters.

" **I accept defeat... You want this? Take it** " Kamoshida throw his crown away and Joker grab it. " **Go ahead and finish me off... You do that... and my real self will go down too... You have that right since you've won...** " Ann throw another ball of fire at him, this one was going right at his face, but it move at the last second and miss him again.

"... If his mind shuts down, he can't admit his crimes" She said. I walk to Kamoshida and kneel, to see him face to face.

" **I've lost...** " He said. " **What am i... What am i supposed to do now?** "

"Go back to yourself in reality. Confess your crimes, all of them. That's what you can do... The only thing you can do now... It's a better option than death isn't it?"

" **... All right... I will leave now and return to my real self... I'll make certain that I...** " Kamoshida fade away in a bright light.

"We did it" I said and the castle start shaking.

"Hey, just so you know, we don't have time to waste" Said Morgana and the ceiling start falling apart. "This place is about to collapse!"

"I forgot about it! Run!" I yell and we all run for our lives. The Palace was falling apart, everything around us was falling, the floor, the walls and the ceiling. We run through a corridor that we take us out of there.

"We're gonna die! We're so gonna die!" Ann yell. Joker was the one leading the group, Ann was behind him, i was next to her and Ryuji was last. Morgana turn into a cat and jump to my shoulder, then to Ann and next to Joker.

"That's cheating, Morgana!" I yell at him. Ryuji was losing speed, he eventually fall to the ground.

"Ryuji!" Ann yell

"I'm okay!" He said. I part of the ceiling fall on top of him. I summon Kuma Lisa and use "Gravity Shift" on all the celing. "Woah!"

"Ryuji, run!" I yell. He stand up and i help him to run. "I refuse to carry you in my arms so you better run!"

"Don't yell at me!"

"You want to die!?" I saw the light at the end of the corridor. We cross it and we all fall to the real world. Literally, we fall to the ground of the alley near the school. "Ugh, goddamit! Why it had to be a castle?" Ann was on top of me, Ryuji was standing up while rubbing his leg and Akira looked just fine.

"That sucked" Said Ann. I take out my phone and a message pop up.

"The destination has been deleted" Said the Metaverse Navigator.

"We can't go there anymore" Said Ann

"What about the Treasure!?" Morgana ask. Akira take out something from his pocket. A golden medal.

"What the...?" Ryuji ask. I grab the medal from Akira's hand.

"A medal? Wait, where'd that crown go?" Ann ask.

"Didn't i tell you before? This is the source of his desires, the thing that Kamoshida treasure the most... To him, this medal is worth as much as that crown... So this is what change him, huh? Fame really can drive you nuts. He couldn't let go of his past glory..." I keep looking at the medal for a couple of seconds and give it to Akira.

"So this means that Kamoshida's heart might have changed, right?" Ann ask me.

"Of course. Still, keep in mind that the change won't be right away. It'll take him a couple of days to confess. Right now, he'll start feeling guilty, then the pain will be so insufferable that he'll confess everything. Still, depends on the person and how distorted he's heart was. For now, i asure you that you won't be expelled" I explain.

"I guess we have to wait then... Let's go home for now" Said Ryuji and we all go separate ways. All that was left for us now was to wait for the Change of Heart...


	15. The Change of Heart

**_Chapter 14: The Change of Heart_**

 _ **5/2 Monday**_

 **Kagura's POV**

It's been almost two weeks since we steal Kamoshida's Treasure. Today was the board meeting and rumors say that Kamoshida didn't attend school since we steal his heart. To tell the truth, i was a little nervous. It was taking a long time for him, but at the same time, i didn't care that much if he ends up dead in his apartment... A part of me did care because of Philemon. When i enter school, we all had to attend to a sudden morning assembly. Maybe it was because of Kamoshida, maybe it was something else. I don't know, i just remain quiet the whole time while the principal talk to all of us. Makoto was next to me, she looks a little worried. I don't blame her, this was sudden.

"What do you think about this sudden assembly?" She asks me.

"I don't know, we'll find out soon enough..." A lot of students murmured. They were speculating about the assembly. They thought it was because of Shiho and others think it was because of the calling card. The principal begins his speech and everyone shut up.

"Let's begin this school-wide morning assembly" He said. "As you all know, a tragic event took place the other day. Thankfully, we have been informed that she has pulled through, but it will take time until she recovers" He was talking about Shiho. I was expecting Kamoshida to show up and start crying in front of everyone, but looks like that isn't the case. Such a shame. "Everyone here has a bright future ahead. I implore that you rethink the importance of life and-" The principal was interrupted by the sound of a door closing. Everyone turn around and saw Kamoshida in the door. He looked defeated, tired. "Mr. Kamoshida, what's the-"

"I... have been reborn" He said. "That is why I will confess everything to you all..." He slowly walks to the stage and all the student whispers to each other, even Makoto talked to me.

"Confess? What does he mean by that?" She asks me and i shrug.

"I have repeatedly done things that were... unbecoming of a teacher. Verbally abusing students... physically abusing my team, and... sexually harassing female student" Kamoshida was struggling to find the right words, but in the end, he said it all by the facts. He was honest now. "I am the reason why Shiho Suzui tried to kill herself!" He falls to his knees and starts crying. I've seen this multiples times, it brings a big smile to my face to see the people that did wrong apologize and face the punishment that awaits them. "I thought of this school as my own castle... There were even students that i sentenced to expulsion, simply because i didn't like them... And I blackmail a female student if she talked about the abuse. I will, of course, rescind those... I am truly sorry for putting innocent youths through such horrible acts... I am an arrogant, shallow... and shameful person. No, I'm worse that that... I will take responsibility and kill myself for it!"

"Is he serious!?" Makoto ask. "Did he really did all those things!?"

"... Looks like he did" I hide my smile from Makoto and everyone else in the room. Right now, i feel really good to myself. Still, stealing someone's heart had a different effect on the person. Kamoshida was hit pretty hard by it and he's willing to commit suicide to atone his sins. The principal grabs Kamoshida's arm.

"Mr. Kamoshida! Please get off stage for now!" Said the Principal.

"Everyone, return to your classes!" Said one of the teachers. All the students were about to leave until they heard a girl screaming at Kamoshida.

"Don't run, you bastard!" It was Ann. "Shiho's still alive even after all the things that made her want to die! You have no right to run from this!" Kamoshida stands up, his legs were shaking.

"You're right" He said. "You're absolutely right... I should be punished under the law and atone for my crimes... I did horrible things to Takamaki-san, as well. In return for giving Suzui-san a position on the team... I tried to force her into having relations. As of today, I will resign from my position as an instructor and turn myself in" Kamoshida start yelling. "Someone, please cal the police!"

"... He's done for at this point" I said. "I bet things won't be the same in school anymore"

"You are right..." Makoto looks down.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm the Student Council President... And i don't know about this. How did it come to this? How could i be so blind?"

"... Don't blame yourself, Makoto. I didn't know it either" Everyone return to their classes, except me, Akira, Ryuji and Ann. We stay in the Gym. They still couldn't believe what just happened. Now i let my smile came out and laugh a little. "Hahaha, it's been a while since i see someone breaking like that i front of a crowd"

"His heart really did change..." Said Ann

"Seems like it" Ryuji looked at me. "But, was this really for the best?"

"What? Are you doubting now!? We practically clean his heart, he confesses everything and you won't be expelled. What else do you want? I know it was a little hard for any of you to see a grown man crying like a little girl, but let me tell you. That will happen every single time you still someone's heart"

"Yeah... But things are happenin' way too fast..." Mishima and a couple of girls came to us. "Huh? Mishima?"

"Takamaki-san... I'm sorry!" Mishima apologize to Ann out of nowhere. "We all knew... but we pretended we didn't"

"Takamaki-san, i had you all wrong... I'm sorry that i spread rumors about you!" Said one of the girls.

"I didn't know at all..." Said the other girl. "Kamoshida was forcefully pushing himself on you... It must've been so hard for you! I'm sure there's a ton of people who want to apologize to you. We are so sorry"

"No, it's ok. The same goes for me too... Besides, that's all in the past now" Said Ann. A teacher saw us and tell us to return to class. We all walk away from the gym and go to our classes. In the way, Mishima apologizes to Ryuji and Akira.

"I can't apologize enough for what i did to you. I swear i'll make it up to you someday" Said Mishima and walk away from us.

"Looks like Kamoshida ain't the only one that had a change of heart" Ryuji turn to Ann. "I'm glad for you, Ann. Looks like those weird rumors are gonna go away"

"My thing doesn't really matter. We made Kamoshida apologize about Shiho... That's more than enough for me" Said Ann.

Later that same day we reunite in the rooftop. Akira leaves the Olympic medal in one of the tables of the rooftop and we all sit around it. I was thinking about selling it, right now it's useless for us and none of us want it around. Morgana came out of Akira's bag and stare at the medal.

"I totally freaked out... He really did have a change of heart" Said Ryuji. "And we were lucky his mind didn't get messed up either! This was an A+ job!"

"I told you. You just need to follow my instructions and everything will be okay. I bet you were doubting me at some point" I said.

"I will admit that i did at some point, but now that everything turns out okay i have no doubts. Thanks, Kagura!" Ryuji thank me and i smile a little.

"... You're welcome. Now, we need to talk about-" We heard the door opening. Ann came in.

"Ann... How'd it go? With Shiho, i mean..." Ryuji asks and we wait for her answer. Ann smile.

"She's regained consciousness!"

"For real!?"

"It was only for a little bit, but i got to talk to her. I was able to tell her that Kamoshida admitted to what he did... And... She told me she was sorry... Looks like she found out that i was flirting with Kamoshida for her sake. And here i was, wanting to apologize to her" Ann cry a little bit.

"Kamoshida's at fault for all this" Said Morgana.

"I know. Shiho's mom is thinking of transferring her to another school after she recovers. The whole sexual harassment and attempted suicide... people will label her after that. Sounded like Shiho had the same idea too" Ann explained.

"It's gonna get lonely" Said Ryuji.

"But it's for the best. She needs a place to start over after what happened" I said.

"She's alive. That's what matters now. And you can see her anytime, Ann" Said Ryuji to Ann.

"... I need to change too" Said Ann.

"That aside, i was surprised you could hold yourself back against Kamoshida's Shadow" He said.

"I knew she wouldn't kill him. If she wanted, she could've killed him during the fight" I said.

"Kagura's right. I wanted Kamoshida to apologize himself. I did it to scare him off" She said.

"No matter how much of a shit bag he was, finishing him off woulda left a bad after taste, huh?" Said Ryuji

"Huh? That not what i meant. I think revenge is better served if i make him repent. Realizing what he's done he'll grovel for forgiveness the rest of his life, you know? I just believe there are fates worse than death"

"... I think the same too" I said. "But i also believe that torture is a really good punishment for people like him. You know, torture them until they beg for death, then let them live and remind that it was because of their sins they are suffering. They'll think twice before doing something stupid" I said with a big smile in my face. Ryuji stays away from me, Akira as well.

"Holy shit, girl..." Said Ryuji. "A-Anyway, that's all settled... But you know, there was one more thing i was wondering about that castle. Why was Kamoshida the only one who had that Metaverse thing?"

"He's not the only one, Ryuji. I did tell you that i was doing this for a while, didn't i?" I ask.

"Oh, right. I forgot about it. So anyone can have a Palace?" Ryuji asks me.

"It's something anyone could have if their heart became warped from their desires" Morgana explain. "Wanna check it out?"

"N-Not right now. We better lay low for a while. People are still gonna be talkin' about Kamoshida" Said Ryuji. "Then again, it's totally impossible for someone to find out what we did at his Palace"

"True" I said.

"Yeah, about that... Weird rumors about you guys are already going around..." Said Ann and we look at her nervously.

"Please tell me there isn't a rumor about me" I said.

"Actually they are. Stuff like, you three got together and threatened Kamoshida with something close to physical violence..."

"The hell!?" Me and Ryuji yell at the same time.

"People aren't going to easily believe that Phantom Thieves really exist" Said Ann.

"They exist, Ann. Since 2012 when i take down a drug dealer and make him confess, but for some reason, people barely talk about it. The Phantom Thieves eventually became an internet rumor and it stays that way for four long years" I sigh and hit the table.

"Four years, huh?" Akira said. "How it begins. I mean, how did you know about all this?" He asks me.

"... You want to know how i enter the Metaverse?"

"Yeah, i was curious too. Tell us" Said Ryuji

"Well... I find the app in my mother's phone. I enter by accident in someone's Palace. I awaken my Persona in that Palace when i was about to die and that was my first experience in the Metaverse... And that's a summary of everything" I said. "You'll know the rest eventually"

"So, you're not goin' to tell us the story?" Ryuji ask.

"You want me to tell you the story of my life too? I'll be completely honest with you, Ryuji. I don't know you that much, if you want me to spill it out, then first we need to be friends... Something we aren't"

"We're not friends? So, what are we then?"

"... Partners in crime"

"Oh... I think it's okay then" Said Ryuji. "I won't push you if you don't want to actually tell me... Did something happen?"

"..." I didn't say a thing to him. Everyone stared at me, even Morgana. I look at the medal and change the subject. "Anyway... Are we selling this, or what?"

"Oh, right! I'll check how much this thing can be sold for" Ryuji take out his phone and start searching. "It'd be better if we pawned it off ASAP... Wait, thirty thousand yen!? That's all a gold medal's worth!?"

"Hey, remember that time in middle school? I lent you some money" Said Ann to Ryuji

"There's no way i borrowed thirty thousand yen from you!" Ryuji yells at her.

"Wouldn't it be around that much with compounded interest?"

"Interest my ass!"

"Just pay to the lady, Ryuji. You'll lose the fight" I said.

"Shut up!"

"I'm not saying that i'm taking all of it. I mean it's your fault for not paying me back all these years! It's just common sense!"

"... Dammit"

"How about a celebration?" Morgana asks and we all look at him. "It would be nonsense not to celebrate a successful mission"

"You want to celebrate?" I ask and he nodded.

"What do you say, Kagura?"

"... Celebrate. What kind of celebration are we talking about here?" I ask him

"Discussions among Phantom Thieves are to take place over luxurious food. How about it?"

"Food...?" I thought about it for a second. "Hmmm... What the hell... Count me in. I want to eat something else besides ramen and instant food"

"I want luxurious food too" Said Akira

"Then it's decided" Said Ryuji

"Hey! ... Nah, i guess it's fine. There's somewhere i want to go then" Said Ann.

"Where's that?" Ryuji ask.

"It's a place Shiho and i have been wanting to go for a while. I'll call and check the prices later then"

"When should we go? Wanna do it soon, like tomorrow?" Ryuji was getting way too excited.

"Why don't we go on the last day of the holidays? It'll help us energize us when school life starts up again the day after" Said Ann.

"Then... the 5th, on Children's Day" Ryuji confirm the day.

"So, who's going to sell this?" Ann ask.

"Leave that to Akira. He and i know a store that'll buy anything. Don't we, Akira?" Morgana asks Akira. He just nodded.

"Ok, i'll leave it to you guys... Just make sure to get good money from it" I said. I stand up and sighs. "When was the last time i celebrate something that wasn't a birthday...?" I whisper


	16. Celebration

**_Chapter 15: Celebration_**

 _ **5/3 Tuesday**_

 **Kagura's POV**

It was golden week, three days free of schools and obligation where you can do whatever you want... Except for me, i had to work. Sojiro call me and told me to come and help him in the golden week. He'll let me rest on the 5th so I can go with the others to celebrate. I was actually looking forward to it. Now that I think about it, i never celebrate after a change the heart of all those people. I only saw it as a job well done and i go to the next, nothing more... Am I boring? They most think that I'm either boring or antisocial. That doesn't really matter, i went to Leblanc and help Sojiro. To my surprise, Akira was there too. Sojiro makes him work in the kitchen, as for me... I had to take everyone's order and after that... clean the bathroom. There was a lot of customers there, so i take everyone's order and enter the bathroom and clean it. After that i sit next to the kitchen and sighs, Akira was washing the dishes and looks like there were no more customers around. Luckily no one needs to use the bathroom.

"Heh, sorry i kinda pressured you into this" Said Sojiro to Akira. "Good job with the bathroom, Kagura"

"... I hate to clean that bathroom" I said.

"I know, sorry about that. You were lucky no one need it" We saw the TV. The news was on.

"And now to our next topic" Said the Newscaster. "Fall from Grace: The story of a dishonored Olympic medalist. Just recently, a high school coach admitted to his school that he had been perpetually abusing students. Given his prior Olympic achievements, this has caused quite a stir. What caused this habitual offender to suddenly confess these heinous crimes to his entire school? The police are hoping that the upcoming interrogations will bring light to this question" The Newscaster keeps talking.

"Hm? Isn't this...?" Sojiro looks at the TV, a lot of students were interviewed. "I knew it. This is your school, isn't it?" Sojiro asked me and Akira.

"I know... The guys confess everything in the morning assembly. It was kinda funny seeing him crying" I said.

"I wouldn't say funny..." Said Akira.

"Things might be getting turbulent at school, but you need to just keep your head down, all right?" Sojiro said to Akira. "More importantly, keep those hands moving" I keep working with Akira the rest of the day. When i finish, i went straight home and just fall to my bed. I heard my phone, i grab it and saw Ryuji writing in the chat again. He really can't stop, can he?

" _Did you see!? It was on the news!_ " He writes. " _No way the school's gonna be able to play dumb after that_ "

" _I saw it too. Shiho's name didn't come up, right?_ " Ann ask.

" _Not that_ _I saw. I'd bet they wanted to keep that part quiet_ " Ryuji write

" _I'm so glad_ " Ann write.

" _It's finally over then... All we gotta do now is eat some tasty shit and put all this crap behind us. I'm totally looking forward to this celebration party_ "

" _I'm looking forward to it,_ " I write and get out of the chat

* * *

 _ **5/4 Wednesday**_

I get back to work that day. There weren't any customers today, so it was a little relaxing. Akira came down and was ready to leave to only God know where... Maybe he was about to sell the medal. Sojiro stops him before he could even go to the door and leave.

"Hey, we might need your help today if a lot of customers come. So stay here" He said.

"Sorry, i have something to do today" Akira said with a straight face. "I have a date"

"Yeah, right" I said. "Still, we can deal with the customers ourselves, Sojiro. There's no need for him to stay here"

"... Maybe you are right" He said. In that moment someone enters the Cafe. I look at the door and my eyes widen, it was Sae, Makoto's sister. "Welcome" Said Sojiro.

"Am i interrupting something?" Sae asks to Sojiro, then she saw me. "Kagura... I didn't know you worked here"

"Makoto didn't tell you?" I ask her.

"I have a lot of work lately, i don't go home that often" Sae sit down in the bar. "So, how you've been?" She asks me.

"Good... It could be better" I answer her. "What are you having?"

"I'll have the house blend please"

"Coming right up" I said and help Sojiro to make the coffee. He's been teaching me how to make a good coffee, i still have some troubles with it, but i'm making progress. The news was on again.

"The cause of the runaway-train incident in the subway the other day still has not been found" Said the Newscaster. "Police are hurrying to solve the matter as it may relate to the rise in psychotic breakdown incidents"

"Oh, is that the thing everyone's been talking about?" Sojiro ask.

"Doesn't it make you curious?" Sae ask.

"What do you mean?" I ask her.

"People who were living normal lives suddenly went mad or deranged out of the blue... Not to mention that it's happening one after another... Could they really be coincidental?"

"I actually don't know a lot about it, but now that you mention it... It might be" Sae look at Akira who's been listening to the whole conversation.

"Are you a part-time too?" She asks.

"N-No, he's a friend from school" I said. "You can go without me, Akira. I'm still working" The last thing i wanted i to Sae know that Akira lives in the attic. I bet Sojiro didn't want her to know too. Akira gives a smile and nodded, then leave.

"A friend from school, huh? So he's from Shujin too? I've heard that things are rough right now. A teacher named Kamoshida confessed his crimes like he was a completely different person, supposedly. And it happened "all of a sudden" one day... Can a person's mental state change so easily?"

"... I don't know. Maybe it was hypnosis, or he just couldn't take it anymore after a girl try to kill herself"

"That didn't come up in the news, but it was all over the internet as a rumor... So it was true? The Principal really wanted to cover all up?" Sae sighs. "Things might get rougher with time... Can you do me a favor, Kagura? Keep an eye on Makoto. I don't want her to get in any problem"

"I will" Sojiro give me the cup of coffee and i give it to her.

* * *

 ** _5/5 Thursday_**

The day has come. We went to Shibuya and after that, we went to the Wilton Hotel, it was a fancy restaurant/hotel. The place was gorgeous and really luxurious. I was asking myself if we could afford all this, Akira told me he got 30 thousand yen from the medal and it was okay. We sit down on a table and pick all the food we wanted in the buffet... Or at least Ryuji and Ann did. I just pick up a little of sushi, rice, a piece of cake and even pancakes, i love pancakes. Ryuji picks a lot of meat and Ann a lot of sweets. Me and Akira were the only ones that didn't pick an excessive amount of food.

"So good..." Said Ryuji.

"This is a famous hotel, after all" Said Ann. "Oh yeah, i heard that the police are coming to interview some people at school"

"That's troublesome" Said Morgana.

"Don't worry about it. Just act like nothing happens and everything will be alright" I said

"Yeah, but our names are gonna come up for sure. People're spreadin' all sorts of rumors about us and Kamoshida..." Said Ryuji. "But we got 'em pumped up! I keep hearin' stuff like, "The Phantom Thieves really stole his heart!" and all sort of things"

"Really!? We must've really left a good impression on them" I said.

"I think most people don't believe it, but some of them actually seem grateful" Ryuji take out his phone and show of a website. "Take a look at this"

"... The Phantom Aficionado Website...?" I ask. "Huh, it took me four years to finally have some recognition" I said and keep looking at the page. Ann read some of the messages.

"Well don, Phantom Thieves... Now i can keep going too... Thank you for giving us hope..." Ann read. "There's a lot of people on this"

"Pretty cool, huh?" Ryuji ask.

"I was just desperate to deal with my own problems, but seeing people saying all this feels... strange" Said Ann

"Yeah... So what are we going to do now?" Ryuji asks me.

"... Why are you looking at me?"

"Well, i mean... You form the Phantom Thieves and-" Ryuji was interrupted by Ann.

"This place has a time limit!" She screams.

"Oh crap, we only got an hour to eat!" He said.

"Just fifty minutes left!"

"I'm not gonna finish all these dishes at this pace!"

"I need to eat my way through the entire dessert menu!"

"... Are you two serious?" I ask. "You two will get out of here rolling if you keep eating. I didn't finish what i picked and Akira barely touch his" Ryuji ignore me and talk to Akira.

"Look after our stuff! We'll snag something for you guys too, don't worry!" Ryuji and Ann leave us to get more food.

"... I can't believe them" I said.

"Just let them enjoy it" Said Akira. "When will we be able to come back?"

"You do have a point there... But they are going to explode if they keep going like this... Ugh, Nevermind. I shouldn't care about it. I'm not their mother... How about you? You are not going for more food?"

"I don't really need it" He said.

"We could go and pick something later" Said Morgana. "We need to finish our dish first" Ryuji and Ann returned with a ridiculous amount of food and keep eating.

"Aw man, it melts in my mouth!" Said Ryuji

"Seriously? Only meat?" Morgana ask him

"Now, where should i start?" Ann looks at the mountain of dessert she brought.

"And she's all about the cake..." Said Morgana.

"Hey. Calories" Said Ryuji to Ann and she yell at him.

"Shut up! How much do you think one of these costs!? I'll never get the chance to do this again!"

"Well... She right about that part" I said.

"Mmm, the Wilton Hotel cake buffet... I'd heard rumors, but i never thought it'd be so amazing!" Ann keeps eating her cake. Morgana look at all the food on the table.

"... Where's our share?" He ask.

"I didn't really know what you'd want... So i just grabbed you some beans" Ryuji point at the massive mountain of mixed food in one of the plates. I could've sworn that that thing moved.

"Those are beans!?" I ask. "I thought it was some kind of food monster"

"There were some pretty bizarre things there too, so we got you a variety of those. Fried bananas, preserved eggs and... some kind of beans" Ann explained. "We put so much on the plate that it got all mixed up, but it should probably still taste good"

"No... That thing is gross" I said. "If it could talk, it will be begging us to end his miserable life right here, right now... And i would do it"

"She's right. This is just plain grotesque..." Morgana was on my side on that one. "That's it. Let's go, Akira. These two just don't know what fine dining means! We'll show them!"

"... But i didn't finish my plate yet" He said.

"We don't have time. Let's pick the food, before we run out of time"

"... Fine" Akira stand up and look at me. "Can you look up for my things?"

"Sure" I said and Akira leaves with Morgana. He comes back five minutes later with a little of everything. He has fish, meat, rice and a little of dessert. His plate was really organized, just like mine, but he's was almost perfect. It was a nice variety of food.

"Ooh, you brought a ton back" Said Ryuji. "Whaddya think about comin' up against such a ritzy food?"

"I'm a little excited, actually" Said Akira.

"It's cute hearin' that from someone like you. Just don't get too excited, got it?" Said Ryuji and i laugh at him.

"Look who's talking" I said. After a while, i help the others to finish the food that was left, but it didn't matter how much we eat, the amount of food we have stays the same.

"There's still more...?" Morgana ask.

"I can't eat more of this... Why the fuck you two bring this abomination?" I ask them.

"Don't give up! Let's keep at it!" Ryuji insists on keep eating.

"Don't give me that shit! I can't keep going..." I wasn't feeling good at all. "Ugh... I can't... I-I think i'm going to puke" Luckily i didn't puke. Ryuji, Morgana and Akira keep eating and finish everything ten minutes later.

"W-We did it..." Said Morgana.

"Y-Yeah. This is a victory... for all of us..." Said Ryuji.

"Y-You have no idea how much i hate you for bringing this much food... I can't move"

"That was tough" Said Akira.

"... But you look okay" I said to him.

"We won... because we did it together..." Ryuji couldn't eat more after all this.

"Good job, you guys. How about one last dish to cleanse your palates?" Ann asks and we all were about to puke.

"Please, Ann. We can't eat more..." Said Akira. "I think i might go to the bathroom"

"Me too" Said Ryuji.

"All of us" I said. A couple of adults look at our table and give us a weird look.

"My, look at that table" Said the woman.

"They must not normally have the opportunity to eat such exquisite food" Said the man.

"I can only imagine what their parents must be like" Said the man.

"The fuck did you say about my mother!? Say it to my face!" I yell at them and the walk away. "Assholes..."

"Just let them be" Said Ann.

"I won't let them insult my mother... Dammit, i need the bathroom now" I grab my stomach. I felt sick now.

"Me too. C'mon, let's go" Said Ryuji and we go to the bathroom. We left Ann to watch over our stuff...

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

After finishing all our food, which was a tough battle, we go to the bathroom. I was feeling fine, but Ryuji and Kagura didn't. Ryuji runs to the bathroom and puke, Kagura puke too, but i think it was worse for her than Ryuji. Looks like Kagura can't eat that much food without getting sick, i wonder what she usually eats or if she eats something healthy. I wait outside of the bathroom and wait for them to get out. Ryuji came out first, Kagura came out five minutes later. She looked defeated.

"... I think i throw up all the food in there... I'm empty now" She said.

"Well, i'm stuffed..." Said Morgana

"I totally panicked when i saw the "Closed For Cleaning" sign at the bathrooms..." Said Ryuji. We had to go to the bathrooms on another floor, the ones in the buffet were closed.

"You were talking big about eating until you puked, but you really did puke... Are you some kind of moron?" Morgana asks and then look at Kagura. "Are you alright? You don't look so good"

"... I regret coming here" She said. "Anyway... What floor was that restaurant?"

"We came up to get here, so it has to be on a lower floor, right?" Said Morgana. I push the button and wait for the elevator to arrive. While we were waiting, a group of men in business suits push us aside and get in our way. Looks like they were in a hurry to get to the elevator.

"What the-" Ryuji said. A bald man, supposedly the leader of the group, talk to the man that push Ryuji away.

"There's still no update on the case?" He asks

"N-Not yet... Excuse me, Sir, But why are you so involved? It's not something you should be concerned with..." Said the subordinate

"I don't care about your opinion, you incompetent buffoon! When i say pick up the pace, you do it!" His voice... It sounded awfully familiar to me.

"Hey, you're cuttin' in line!" Said Ryuji

"What do you want?" Said one of the subordinates

"You get in our way and push us away" Said Kagura. "You better apologise to us"

"We're in a hurry"

"So? Who cares if you are in a hurry. You should've come earlier, you moron" Kagura insult them.

"It seems the customer base has changed since i was here last. Have they started a day care?" Said and bald man.

"The fuck did you say?" Kagura get in the man's way. "Say it to my face" The man look at her in the eyes.

"... I don't have time for this nonsenses. Get out of my way, Redhead" He said and one of the men grab Kagura's arm and push her away. "Don't bother with them!" He yells and enters the elevator. That voice just now... There was no mistake... It was him! ... But, it was really him? I can't remember his face. I couldn't see his face so well, it was dark and he was covering his face with his hand because of the bleeding. Still... I wouldn't be surprised if it was him.

"Kagura, are you alright?" Ryuji ask her.

"Yes, he just grab me... But what an asshole. Who do he think he is? The Prime Minister of something?"

"Shouldn't we head back down?" Morgana ask.

"I know" Kagura push the button and we wait again for the elevator.

"That dick really pissed me off. He wasn't even hidin' the fact that he looks down on everyone!" Ryuji almost yell.

"Don't lose your temper over this" Said Morgana.

"I just can't forgive shitty adults like that...!" Ryuji yell

"It might not look like it, but there are people way worse than him" Said Kagura. She looked at me. "Hey, you are staring at the wall... Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, just a bit lightheaded" I answer her.

"You not feelin' good?" Ryuji asks me.

"He almost never eats well, after all... Plus i'm always stuck eating canned cat food..." Said Morgana. It was true, i don't get much food lately.

"Ugh, that "sir" bullshit makes me sick... Dammit!"

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

We get out of the elevator and went back to the restaurant. Ryuji was still pissed off about that man we saw earlier and Akira feels a little sick. Looks like our celebration was short lived, now we are not in the mood for anything. We get back to the table and Ann was waiting for us.

"What took you so long!?" She yell at us

"Why're you all pissy?" Ryuji ask.

"Sorry... I had a run-in with some woman a second ago. She bumped into me, but then said it was all my fault when she dropped her plate..." Ann explains.

"What a bitch" I said

"Yeah... But the restaurant workers all looked at me with this disapproving expression..." She said. I know how she feels. From time to time i get that too from random adults. It's either for my hair color of my attitude, they often tell me i should be like the rest... I refuse to be like them. "I wonder if we're out of place here..."

"No, we're not, Ann" I said and that catch her off guard. "It's always like this. The minority that is different or thinks different is always cast away by society... You have no idea how many times people tell me i should be like the other girls, that i shouldn't curse, that i should dye my hair black and be "normal" like the rest. All because they don't like me how i'm really am... Now that i think about it... We might not be that different. We are Outcast of Society. A kid with a criminal record, a "troublemaker" and a girl with nasty rumors around her..."

"... What about you?" Ann ask me.

"Me...? I'm just the daughter of a woman who made a lot of bad decisions in her life and some people look me with bad eyes because of her... Thinking that I might end up like her, but I won't" I couldn't believe that i just say that to them. I wasn't planning to do it, but it came out so naturally...

"..." Ryuji looked at me in silence. "Hey, Kagura... Anyone could have a Palace, yeah?"

"How many times do I need to repeat it? Yes, anyone with a strong distorted desire can have a Palace" I said.

"You've been doing this for four years... Every change of heart was successful?" Ryuji keeps asking me.

"Yes, every single one of them... I know what are you getting at, that's why i wanted to talk to you all at some point" I said and everyone listens to me. "In the past, I've been doing this for myself. Stealing person's hearts and make them confess their crimes. Every time i do it, i do it so i could change the world, little by little, but i was having my doubt at some points because it didn't matter how much i do, there was people even worst or just more twisted people pop up out of nowhere. Months ago i met Morgana and we've been fighting Shadows together, in the beginning, i didn't want him around because i was better by myself, but like he keeps saying... I might reach a limit at some point and i should rely on others... So... Ugh, I can't say it..."

"You want us to be on the Phantom Thieves?" Ann ask me. I simply nodded.

"Not really... But after all the work you all put into changing Kamoshida's heart, i might actually need you on the team"

"... No one actually believes in the Phantom Thieves" Said Ryuji. "Plus... Those guys who had no other choice but to just deal with Kamoshida's abuses are thankin' us. Us, of all people. I say we help Kagura out, not only her but all those people that need something to believe in"

"I... I agree" Said Ann. "If we ignore people who are in trouble, i'd go back to being the same as i was before!"

"Well... That's true" Said Morgana. He looked at me and nodded. "Listen up. You're under our tutelage. There's nothing we can't accomplish as Phantom Thieves!"

"That means we'll have to fight Shadows again, doesn't it...?" Ann ask me.

"We can't avoid that. Every time we enter the Metaverse, we have to keep in mind the possibility of fighting a powerful Shadow. It's unavoidable" I explain.

"Eh, i'm sure we'll manage" Said Ryuji. "What do you say, Akira?"

"... I want to help people too. I want to give them hope at least" He said.

"All right, it's settled!" Said Ryuji. "We're gonna catch all these shitty adults by surprise, and make ourselves known to the world!"

"So, Kagura. You're going to be our leader?" Ann ask me.

"I suppose... I mean, i start all this, so logical... But i might need a second in command, someone that take care of things if i'm not there. I mean... I still have work, you know" I look at Akira. "You did pretty well against Kamoshida, Akira. So what do you say?"

"Sure, why not" He said

"No objections here! I can't handle all that responsibility stuff" Said Ryuji.

"I know, that's why i ask him..."

"Hey, where's my say in this?" Morgana ask me. "But you made the recommendation, so I'll allow it... Hey Kagura"

"What is it?"

"I'm glad you take them in the group... For a moment i thought you'll just kick them away considering you can be heartless sometimes"

"... I still can kick them out, you know. Don't get too cocky with me, Mona"

"Well, now that the roles are decided... Who's our next target?" Ann ask me.

"There are tons of rotten adults and all... Why not just stick to targeting big names?" Ryuji suggests.

"Like a CEO?" Akira ask.

"Yeah, something along those lines. If we go after some bigwig, it's gotta get on the news, right? Don't you think more people would believe in us if we did that?"

"That's not a bad idea, Ryuji. But it's not that simple. It takes a while to find someone's Palace"

"Yeah, and i don't like the idea of just picking someone out of the blue though" Said Ann.

"Let's narrow it down to someone we can all agree on then" Said Ryuji.

"Hm, se we need a bigwig we decide on unanimously" Said Morgana.

"I like that unanimous decision part! It's like we're making some kind of pact!" Said Ann.

"Now then, the Phantom Thieves got bigger. Now we are a real organization!" Said Morgana. "I'm counting on you all"

"Oh no! Our time for the buffet ran out!" Said Ann.

"Are you worried about that!?" I ask her. "You have some kind of black hole in your stomach!?"

"I guess we'll just have to talk more tomorrow" Said Ryuji and we stand up to leave the hotel...

* * *

 _Kagura stops narrating, she closes her eyes for a moment and recalls that moment when she allows Akira, Ryuji and Ann to be part of the Phantom Thieves. She didn't want them, but if she didn't take them in, then she might not be here, to begin with. So much happened since then, she still can't believe some of the things she went through with them. She saw at Sae right in the eyes and wait for her to say something. Sae sighs._

 _"First of all... A talking cat?" She asks Kagura. She didn't know how to answer that. "So you and three accomplices go into this "Metaverse" and steal Kamoshida's heart. I'll consider all nonsense, but consider that parts of it align with Kamoshida's confession and the part where you and these students confront him in the PE faculty office... I have no other choice, but to let you continue. At any rate, you mentioned something more important... These three other accomplices, besides this talking cat thing that appeared in your story... From what you've been telling me, they're students at the same school, aren't they?"_

 _"... If you want me to sell them... I won't. I'll continue, but_ _I won't say their names" Kagura wasn't planning on selling her teammates._

 _"Very well. I'll leave it at that. Let's continue on. There are many more events that_ _I must inquire on. Lies and false accounts are eventually exposed" Sae grab the files and show Kagura the picture of an old man, next to him was a calling card of the Phantom Thieves. "The next to receive a calling card was this individual... A master of Japanese arts. Ichiryusai Madarame" At the mere mention of that name, Kagura insults._

 _"... Asshole" She said. Sae notices it, but she didn't say a thing._

 _"It's even more incomprehensible that Kamoshida as to why this man was targeted. Where did you come to know him? And how did you learn of his crimes when you weren't a victim of them?"_

 _"... Do I need to be a victim to target and asshole like him?" Kagura asks her. "... We didn't knew about Madarame. To us looked like a nice old man... But then we meet one of his pupils and then... We discover the truth..."_


	17. Confidant & Mementos

**_Chapter 16: Confidant & Mementos_**

 **Akira's POV**

That day i went to sleep earlier, after what happened in the celebration i couldn't stand anymore. All that food make me sick and the whole thing went a little depressing at some point. All those adults look at us like we were some kind of plague. I didn't like it at all. The good thing that came out of all that is that we are now part of the Phantom Thieves. Ryuji was too excited about it... Anyway, i went to sleep and i end up in the Velvet Room again. I get up from my bed and face Igor.

"First off... I'd like to begin by congratulating you" He said.

"To think our master would give words of praise..." Said Justine

"You better treasure this moment, Inmate!" Caroline yells at me.

"What's your problem with me!?" I yell back. Igor ignores our discussion and keep talking.

"You have encounter allies who share your aesthetics, and you have found your place in reality. The time has come... Your rehabilitation will soon begin"

"... What rehabilitation?" I ask him.

"I shall explain it to you now... You have a special potential. However, that must be refined into a useful power. It is weak now, but refining it shall grant you the strength to stand against the coming ruin... That is the rehabilitation cast upon you"

"Coming ruin...?"

"There are various means by which you may gain the power to resist the ruin. Fighting Shadows and gaining experience is one way. The fusion process i taught you prior is another" Igor explains.

"This is all possible because of our master's guidance, Inmate!" Caroline yells at me again.

"Though it may be presumptuous of us, we have words of wisdom as well" Said Justine.

"When you're out in reality, you better hone your relationships with those you have contracts with!" Said Caroline.

"Spending time with those people will lead to the cultivation of your relationships with them" Said Justine.

"If you've got time to waste, you'd better visit your contractors, Inmate!"

"That is another source of power to evade the ruin that our master has mentioned"

"Thanks to the contracts you've formed, your heart is steadily gaining the power of opposition" Said igor. "It seems the rehabilitation is going well. This is a truly joyous occasion... I shall grant you an ability befitting of your newfound growth. Consider it a gift. May the devotion to your rehabilitation grow even deeper... I have high hopes of you" I feel like my bond with Igor is growing deeper. He give me the power to hold more Personas withing my soul...

* * *

 ** _5/6 Friday (lunchtime)_**

We got together near the stair in the second floor. Kagura wasn't there with us, looks like she was busy with something else. Ryuji takes out his phone and look at the Phantom Aficionado Website.

"It ain't much, but we've been gettin' more posting on the Website" He said. "Let's see... " _I want to make my friend apologize for not returning the stuff I lent him_ " Ugh, deal with that yourself!" I couple of girls came out of the classroom and we listen to them.

" _You know that Phantom Thieves rumor about stealing Kamoshida's heart? I wonder if it's true_ " One of them say

" _It's got to be made up. Do you seriously believe they exist?_ "

" _But look at what happened to Kamoshida_ "

" _He probably just couldn't keep hiding it after that girl tried to kill herself_ "

" _Yeah, you might be right. I guess there's no way they really exist_ "

" _Most importantly, it seriously sucks that our school is gonna be known for stuff like this!_ "

" _I wonder if it'll affect our college entrance..._ " After talking to each other, they leave.

"That's prolly a normal reaction for now, but... they'll see soon enough! If we can take care of two or three famous guys, people'll have to believe we exist" Said Ryuji, really excited about this.

"So about those big shots... We don't have any leads yet, right?" Ann ask. "Plus there's that rumor about you three threatening Kamoshida too... I think Kagura have it worst"

"Why's that?"

"Isn't she the Student Council President's best friend? You know, Niijima-senpai"

"Oh... I didn't think about it. Maybe she'll ask her a lot of question regarding that rumor" Said Ryuji

"Looks like you'll just have to live a normal, honest school life for the time being" Said Morgana. "Still, make sure you stay prepared just in case anything comes up, all right?"

"I'll keep an eye out for info on any big shots that might be comin' around" Said Ryuji. "I'll text Kagura and ask her if she have someone"

"And i'll try to dig up some dirt online" Said Ann.

"I might find something in the Cafe" I said. "From time to time, Sojiro have some weird customers"

* * *

 **Makoto's POV**

I enter the principal's office. He call me all of the sudden when i was talking with Kagura. She follows me to his office, but wait for me outside. I walk to his desk stand in front of him.

"Excuse me" I said to him. "Did you wish to see me, Principal Kobayakawa?" I ask.

"You saw the state Kamoshida was in, didn't you? It's as if his personality has completely changed. Something is definitely wrong here" He said.

"I saw it... But i'm not sure i follow..."

"From what i've heard, it appears as though some students were meddling in his business. If they did something to him... Who could they be...?" I heard the rumor, i even got their names... Looks like Kagura was involved too, but it can't be... She wouldn't do something like this... Would she? I know that she can be unpredictable sometimes, but...

"Are you saying that these students may have caused Mr. Kamoshida to change...?" I ask him. I personally didn't want to believe that Kagura had something to do with this... But what if she does? This is no time to doubt of my best friend.

"That is what i wish to know... Even if it takes some probing into student matters... I would like you to look into this for me"

"It is true that there are many rumor regarding Mr. Kamoshida, but... Do you mean all of this talk about the Phantom Thieves?"

"It is undeniable that Mr. Kamoshida has "changed" in some way. I'd like to have a grasp of the cause. This shall also ensure that i handle the mass media and police in the correct fashion. I will continue speaking to Mr. Kamoshida myself. Unless you find whomever did this, these irresponsible rumors will likely never die down. Don't you agree?"

"Yes, sir..."

"You have been at the top of your class since day one. Your conduct is good, and teachers favor you. I could write you a recommendation for any college of your choosing, Makoto Niijima"

"Th-Thank you" I wasn't expecting this. It will certainly help me a lot if i get a recommendation for any college i want... But when i think about it, i remember what Kagura told to me... She won't be there with me anymore. I will continue while she will be left behind... Maybe if i do this right, i might get something for her too. For the moment i should stay on the Principal's good side.

"Your linage must certainly play a part in this excellence. Your sister is still young, yet she holds an admirable position at the Public Prosecutors Office, no...? If something disappointing were to happen here, that wouldn't reflect very well on your sister... Do you understand?" Is he... Threatening me? I can't believe him. I should do as i'm told for now and not screw this up... For my sister's sake.

"... Yes" I said.

"How wise. It's no wonder you're our student council president. I'd appreciate if you looked into this as soon as possible. I ask that you begin at once"

"Yes... If you'll excuse me then" I turn around and leave. Outside Kagura was waiting for me. She gives me a smile and i return it to her.

"What did he want?" She ask me while we walk away from the Principal's office. I sigh and decided to ask her now about those rumors. I want to get this out of the way.

"Kagura... Are the rumors true?" I ask her and she stop walking.

"... What kind of rumors?" She ask. I could tell that she was on the defensive. I never saw her like that.

"... About you and other students threatening Kamoshida" I said and she let out the air she was holding.

"Uff, that one? I thought it was something else. Actually, that rumor got twisted. I did go with some students to see Kamoshida, but it was him who threaten us. He wanted to expel us all if we say a thing about the abuse. It was after Shiho Suzui jump from the roof..." Kagura explains to me. It seems convincing...

"So, you knew about the abuse!?"

"I only heard the rumors, but when i heard those students running to see Kamoshida, i follow them and then i saw it with my own eyes. He was twisted... Sorry if i didn't tell you. The last thing i wanted is to get expelled" I look at her eyes, her expression, her whole face... She wasn't lying. I know her for years now, if she was lying to me, i would know it. I feel stupid to doubt of her... But still, i won't let her off the hook yet. I'll dig up a little deeper and find the true about this rumors. About this... Phantom Thieves. And if it turns out she has something to do with them... I don't know. I hope she isn't involved in this mess.

"I see... It's okay then, sorry for asking"

"It's okay. You had doubts, it's better to take them out of the way now"

"Yeah... Doubts..." I don't want to have doubts about her, she's my friend... The only friend i can rely on.

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

After school i prepare to go back to the Cafe, i waited to Ryuji and Ann to come so we can leave together. I know by a fact that Kagura wasn't here anymore, she probably gets out early to go to work. I had all my thing ready, then i saw Mishima walking to me.

"... Hey" He said.

"Hello, Mishima"

"Have you seen that Phantom Aficionado Website?" I wasn't expecting that question out of the blue.

"Yes, i saw it. How about it?"

"I'm the one who started it" My eyes widen, he made the website. Now that was a surprise. "Um..." Mishima got closer to me and whisper. "... You guys are the Phantom Thieves, aren't you?" My eyes widen more than they have ever done now.

"... What?" I was really nervous. I didn't know what to say. I could deny it, but i was so nervous that i could actually give it away. He knew it already.

"Like i said... Although, if things really are as i think, i should keep it a secret" He said and i could breathe normally.

"Yeah... You should" I whisper at him.

"I know... Kamoshida used me, and i did some horrible things to you guys. This isn't much of a way for me to apologize for it. But if there's anything i can do to help, just let me know!"

"That's great, but... We are kind of laying low for a while"

"Oh, right. The police that come to school and all. I understand, still, i will do whatever i can to help you. There are many more evil adults outside of Kamoshida. But, i'm sure the Phantom Thieves will do something... They can't let this end after what they've been through. I read about their old targets online. Most of them seem like rumors, but when you look up the names, it all add up. Their first target, Takeshi Ogata, he was seriously twisted and it was big news back in the day, but little by little the Phantom Thieves went to the Shadows of the internet. Now they are back and i'll make sure to give them the popularity they deserve! There are probably a lot of people who have high hopes for the Phantom Thieves' next move. So i've also implemented an anonymous poll on the site" Mishima take out his phone and show me the poll. "Do you believe in the Phantom Thieves, or not? I hope someday my forum is filled with supportful posts. I'd really like to help out in the Phantom Thieves' acts of justice! ... Can i, please?" Mishima really wanted to help us.

"First of all... We should speak somewhere else next time... You are lucky there's no one around to hear you. Second... I say you can help us. We are actually looking for new targets. If you happen to find something just let me now. Let's exchange numbers" I take out my phone and we exchange numbers, now i could talk to Mishima whenever i want.

"Thanks! I'll live up to your expectations... I promise" We shake hands and in that moment i could feel a bond between the two of us. Time stopped once again and i hear a woman's voice in my head. I saw a card forming on top of Mishima's head.

 ** _I am Thou, Thou art I..._**

 ** _Thou hast acquired a new vow._**

 ** _It shall become the wings of rebellion_**

 ** _that breaketh thy chains of captivity_**

 ** _With the birth of the Moon Persona,_**

 ** _I have obtained the winds of blessing that_**

 ** _shall lead to freedom and new power..._**

Everything went back to normal after that.

"See ya later" He said and leave. Ryuji and Ann enter the classroom.

"We heard all that" He said. "Geez... It was a little awkard tryin' to figure out when to walk over here"

"So that forum is Mishima-kun's..." Said Ann

"Has he figured out our identities?" Morgana ask.

"Mine of course" I said. "He might know Ryuji's as well... And for Ann... I don't think that's the case"

"Even if that's the case, i think it'll be fine. He seemed to be playing it cool..." Said Ann.

"I guess we should have a little chat about this later" Said Ryuji

"I will say though... a forum where people can post problems may prove unexpectedly useful" Said Morgana

"Anyways, we gotta get lookin' for new targets" Said Ryuji

"And we need to stay sharp until we manage to find one. Once we do, we'll have to head into another Palace, so we should prep our equipment and-" Ryuji interrupts Ann.

"Wait, oh CRAP!"

"What's with you!?"

"D-D-Don't we have an exam comin' up!?" Ryuji ask. I knew about the exams, but i wasn't expecting him to lose his mind over it.

"... Judging by that reaction, i'd assume you're going to struggle this time too?" Ann ask

"It's not like you're any better! All you're good at is English!" Ryuji yells at her.

"I'd rather that than be bad at every subject!"

"Even your Japanese is questionable at best, Ryuji" Said Morgana.

"What's questionable is whether you're really even a human... Good comeback, huh?" Ryuji ask me.

"... Um... Kinda" I said.

"Let's discuss this with our fists!" Morgana get out of my bag.

"Bring it!" Ryuji prepares to fight and i get in the middle.

"Stop this nonsense... Anyway, let's leave for now"

* * *

I get back to the Cafe a little late. I spend most of the time in Shibuya, Ryuji wanted to take me to a gym to train. When i get back, Kagura was still in the Cafe, she was making a Coffee, but there was no one else there. She saw me enter the Cafe and wave her hand. I sit down in the bar in front of her. She didn't say a word until i ask her where Sojiro was.

"I kill him and hide the body in the fridge" She said and i laugh a little.

"No seriously" I said.

"He goes back home, he told me to wait for you for a while and make sure you come back safely..." Kagura finishes to make coffee and take a drink. "Ugh... Need more sugar"

"Sojiro teach you how to make coffee?" I ask her.

"Yes... What about you? He told me that he was teaching you too" It was true, Sojiro start to teach me how to make coffee when Kagura is not working here.

"Yes, but he didn't teach me that much"

"I see..." Kagura add more sugar to the coffee and drink it again. "Perfect... Hey, starting tomorrow you might want to lay low in school"

"Why is that?"

"... Makoto is asking about those rumors. She already asks me and even if i lied to her, i know by a fact that she will spy on me. So, you better grow eyes on your back and don't do anything that could give you away. Do you understand?"

"Yes... I'll tell the others too"

"Good. Tomorrow i don't have work, Sojiro give me the day off so we can get together and discuss our next target"

"Fine by me" Kagura take out her apron and go get her bag. "Hey... Do you want me to go with you to the station?"

"No, i don't take the subway. I have a bike" She said and make sure that she have everything in the bag.

"Oh, okay... Kagura" Kagura was walking to the door now, but stopped

"What?"

"... Sorry if we force you to accept us in the team" She didn't move, she just sighs and turn around to look at me.

"It was going to happen eventually, Akira. Morgana is right, i can't be alone on this forever..." Kagura scratch her head. "But don't get the wrong idea. Only because you are in the team now doesn't mean we are friends, we are not. I'm not your friend or Ryuji's. The only friend i need is Makoto"

"... You don't seem the kind of person that have friends... How did you become friends with Makoto?" I ask her. I wanted to make conversation with her at least.

"Well... That... Just happen. It came naturally" She said. "We were in the same middle school so it happens..." Kagura looks at me, then at the stairs that lead to the attic. "Hey... Are you comfy in that attic?"

"It could be worst, but it's nice" Said Morgana. I shrug and nodded

"... I see" There was an awkward silence for a couple of seconds before Kagura speak again. "Just make sure Morgana eats well... And you too. Tomorrow I might show you something interesting"

"What do you mean?"

"You'll see. I have to leave now so I'll see you two tomorrow" Kagura open the door.

"Kagura... Thanks for letting us be part of the Phantom Thieves. I know it may be hard for you, but we'll do out best to meet your expectations" I said. She give me a little smile and in that moment i could feel a really faint bond between us. Everything around me stopped again and i heard the woman's voice once again...

 ** _I am Thou, Thou art I..._**

 ** _Thou hast acquired a new vow._**

 ** _It shall become the wings of rebellion_**

 ** _that breaketh thy chains of captivity_**

 ** _With the birth of the Jester Persona,_**

 ** _I have obtained the winds of blessing that_**

 ** _shall lead to freedom and new power..._**

The Jester... The card that appears on top of her head looked a lot like the fool, but it was upside down and the person in the card was... laughing with a twisted grin and the skeleton of a dog was following him. He was surrounded by darkness too. Not only that, that card was a little fainter than my other confidants. Maybe it was because out bond was not as strong as the others. She only sees me as an acquaintance... Maybe less than that... Maybe she only sees me as a tool for the Phantom Thieves. Everything goes back to normal and she gets out of the Cafe.

"Hey, you should go back to sleep" Said Morgana.

"Morgana... Kagura is a little difficult to talk with, isn't she?" I ask him.

"I wouldn't say difficult... It's more like she chooses who to talk with. For the moment, i think she doesn't see you as someone worthy of her time unless it's in a Palace or one of our reunions in which she'll talk with you" Morgana explain.

"I see... The Jester, huh?" I whisper. In that moment I thought about that card... Why it looked... Wrong to me? That card gives me a bad feeling, it was a little creepy. Igor must have the answers for me. But for now, I should go to sleep"

* * *

 ** _5/7 Saturday_**

I was on the rooftop with Ryuji, Ann and Morgana. Kagura told us that she will be with us in a couple of minutes. While we wait for her, Ryuji keeps looking at the Phantom Aficionado Website.

"None of these posts are any good" He said. "Everyone's just bitchin' about their parent or their boyfriends. There ain't even a hint of a hint about a new Palace..."

"Just give it some time, Ryuji. Something will come up" I said.

"We can't get everything online... Finding a post with a name and location is asking a lot... Did Kagura find something?" Ann ask me.

"I forgot to ask her. We should wait for her" I said.

"Yeah... Also, we should prolly just hold off 'til exams are done with, huh? We can wait and see for a little longer, then worry about comin' up empty handed if it happens..." Said Ryuji. We heard the door of the rooftop opening. We thought that it was Kagura, but instead, someone else enter... Makoto Niijima. Morgana hides and we try our best to look natural. I remember what Kagura told me yesterday. That Makoto was asking about those rumors about us and Kamoshida...

"This place is off limits, you know" She said. Looks like Ryuji didn't like Makoto, he looked a little angry at her.

"We'll get outta here once we're done chattin'" He said, he was on the defensive. "Anyways, what's Miss Council President want with us?" Makoto looks at us, one by one.

"The troublemaker, the girl of rumors and the infamous transfer student... Interesting combination" She said.

"What a way to start a conversation" Said Ann. Makoto ignore Ryuji and Ann and look right at me.

"Anyway... It seems as though you got to know Mr. Kamoshida pretty well" From the looks of it, she wanted to interrogate me.

"Not really" I answer her. "I don't care about sports"

"Yeah, y'know he's only been here a month or so" Ryuji defende me, but i didn't need his help, it'll only get more suspicious.

"Hm... I heard Mr. Kamoshida used a volleyball team member to spread details of your past record. Don't you hate him? Mr. Kamoshida, I mean" She ask me. I didn't answer to her.

"What's all this about?" Ryuji asks Makoto. "My friend here's an upstanding guy"

"I don't mean to offend. Many students have been shaken up by what happened with Mr. Kamoshida" Makoto explain. "The rumors about that odd, calling card-esque posting aren't going away either"

"I didn't expect someone like you would care about that tactless stuff, Niijima-senpai" Said Ann.

"I dunno that it was tactless..." Said Ryuji. "Anyways, we done here? We can't leave if you keep talkin' to us. Why don't you go talk with your friend? I bet she's looking for you"

"At least try to understand my position. Being forced to deal with this horseplay..."

"Horseplay...!?" Ann ask

"Ah yes, By the way... It's been decided that this place will be closed off due to the incident. I heard some people are coming up here without permission, after all... I'm sorry to have interrupted you" Makoto turn around and leave.

"What was that about?" Ann asks and Morgana came out of hidden.

"... She's on to us" He said. "That girl seems rather sharp. We should be cautious of her"

"Kagura told me that Makoto asks her questions about the rumors" I said.

"You should've told us sooner" Said Ann. "So Makoto is trying to find out about us... "

"She really pisses me off!" Ryuji yell. The door open again and Kagura came to the rooftop.

"I hope you are not talking about me, Ryuji" She said. "Because I can kick your ass"

"No, I'm talking about your little friend"

"Makoto? Don't tell me she already marked you as suspects"

"She pretty much did" Said Morgana.

"Don't underestimate her. For now on, be careful on where you go and your surroundings" Said Kagura. "After what happened to Kamoshida, people not only start talking, but we draw attention from a lot of people. Makoto isn't doing this because of the students, she's doing it because the Principal force her to investigate"

"He forced her?" Ryuji asks her.

"I was outside of the Principal's office and I heard it all... Fat bastard" Kagura sighs. "Things will get a little tricky from now on, so you better be careful... Oh, I remember. I have something " _cool_ " to show you all"

"Cool?" I ask.

"I don't think your definition of cool is the same as mine. Kagura" Said Ryuji.

"You'll love it... Kinda. Let's show it to them, Morgana" Shortly after that, Kagura took us to Shibuya with Morgana. We stay near the entrance of the Subway. Morgana told Ryuji to take out his phone and put the Phantom Aficionado Website. Kagura look around while Ryuji put the web.

"What're you bringin' us here for?" Ryuji ask

"Just do as I told you" Said Morgana.

"All right, I've got the Website up. Now what?"

"Look for a post with a full name in it" Said Morgana.

"I already said there's no info on any big shots. Don't you remember?"

"We are not looking for someone big" Said Kagura. "Just look for a full name" Ryuji search a name on the Website.

"Man, people actually go put someone's real name on here. That's some scary shit..." Said Ryuji. Ann search on her phone too.

"Here's something... " _He won't listen what I say..._ " No wait, there no name on this one" Said Ann

"I found something... " _Someone's bad-mouthin' me in online chat rooms_ " This one's got a name" Said Ryuji.

"Those aren't worth out time" Said Kagura. "Look for something more serious"

"Let's see... I found something... " _I don't know what to do about my ex who's stalking me. His name is Natsuhiko Nakanohara_ ". This looks serious, and there's a full name in it. It says he's a teller at City Hall" Said Ann.

"A government worker's stalking someone...?" Ryuji ask.

"That kind of things happen, Ryuji. Now that's a target... It should work... What do you say, Morgana?"

"It's perfect. Now get the Meta-Nav ready... Let Ryuji do it, Kagura"

"Alright" She said.

"We're just gonna jump right into a Palace? Fine by me!" Ryuji was excited

"Hey, what happened to all that talk of "Unanimous decision"?" Ann ask.

"Don't worry, Ann. It's not an actual Palace" Kagura said.

"What do you mean?" I ask her.

"Ryuji... The Keyword is... Mementos" She said.

"Huh? What're you tryin' to pull?" He ask her

"Just do it and you'll see. Today i'll teach you a thing or two about the Metaverse"

"Alright... Let's see, M-E-M-E-N-T-O-S. Is that it?" The app reacted and everything around us change.

"Candidate found. Beginning Navigation..." Said the app. Everyone around us disappeared. We freaked out, except Morgana and Kagura.

"Everyone disappeared!" Said Ann. "It... kind of feels like i'm walking on air...?"

"Is this that Nakanohara guy's Palace?" Ryuji ask me.

"Yes and no. This place is a type of Palace, but different to the rest" Kagura take the stairs to the subway. "Follow me and you'll see it" We follow Kagura and the moment she step the end of the stair, her uniform change into her outfit. Then our clothes change too when we enter.

"The hell is this place...?" Ryuji ask. This place was different from the subway, it looked like an infernal version of it. There was "blood" on the walls and part of the floor had weird red roots... Not only the floor, the ceiling and the walls had them too. "Wait, out clothes changed!?"

"You didn't notice it!?" I ask him. "You are oblivious sometimes..."

"There are Shadows here?" Ann asks Kagura.

"Of course there are" She said.

"You should've told us!" Ryuji yell at her

"Don't worry about them, they are ants compare to us. At least in the first floor. Besides, they don't go to the stairs. They like to be underground"

"More importantly, what is this Mementos!? It's about time you start explaining" Said Ann.

"Mementos is... everyone's Palace" Said Morgana

"Huh? Whaddya mean "everyone's"...?" Ryuji ask

"It's actually easy to understand" Said Kagura. "A Palace as grand as the previous castle only form when a person's wishes are extremely distorted. So, instead of many individual Palaces, the general public has one gigantic shared Palace. That's what Mementos is"

"Now that you mention it, this place feels a bit different from Kamoshida's Palace..." Said Ann

"When you say shared... you mean they're all put together? Even though they're just strangers?" Ryuji ask Kagura.

"Think of it as the collective unconscious..." Said Morgana. "No, never mind. You wouldn't understand that"

"It's not that hard, though. Even an idiot would understand it" Said Kagura. "This place is perfect for you to train your abilities. Until we find a Palace, we can train here and keep stealing hearts... But on a lower scale. Personally, i don't steal the heart of those people that roam in Mementos. Most of them only have common problems, bullies, etc. But we want the public to acknowlodge us, then this is the best place to do so"

"So the people here can't have a Palace on their own?" Ann ask.

"Exactly... Nakanohara might be on the first floors. If he's really stalking, then he must have distorted desires, but not strong enough to have a Palace on his own"

"This place looks pretty huge" Said Ryuji. "Are we gonna be able to get around just by walkin'...?"

"Well..." Kagura looks at Morgana. "It's your turn..."

"It seems the time has finally come..." Said Morgana and walk to the center of the room. He made a pose worthy of the Phoenix Ranger Featherman R. "Morganaaa... transfoooooorm!" He yell, jump in the air and transform into a bus... That's right, a bus! At this point i try to not think to much about it, i'll just go with the flow from now on. "Come on, Clown, Panther. Ladies first"

"I'll take the wheel" She said and get inside without any problem, as for me and the rest were still in shock.

"A car...!?" Ann ask.

"No way!"

"This... Remind me of something... But i can't remember" I said.

"This comes from the way cognition materializes in the Metaverse, plus a bit of extra training. It's not dissimilar to how you guys transform" Morgana explain

"You turnin' into a car is totally different than our clothes changin'!" Ryuji yell.

"Don't think too much about it" Said Kagura from inside Morgana. "If you do, you might lose your head and the last thing i need is for you to lost it in the middle of the battle. Just focus on the mission. Questions come later"

"Screw that!"

"For some reason, "Cats turning into buses" is an extremely widespread cognition among the general public" Morgana explain.

"Oh, i remember. It's from a movie!" I said, but everyone ignores me.

"Wait, why didn't you do this at the castle!?" Ryuji ask

"Use your head for once, Sakamoto! He doesn't fit in those corridors, there was a ton of stairs, and don't make me start on those chandeliers! Now, get in the catmobile!"

"I am NOT a CAT!"

"All right... The Morgana-mobile. Better?"

"That's better" Ann and Ryuji enter Morgana... It sounded weird... Anyway, they enter the car and i enter last. I sit in the passenger seat, next to Kagura while Ryuji and Ann sit in the back.

"... Do you have a license?" I ask Kagura.

"I have one actually... But i don't have a car, i prefer to use my bike... Alright, let's get going"


	18. Yusuke Kitagawa

_**Chapter 17: Yusuke Kitagawa**_

 **Kagura's POV**

I drive Morgana in the tunnels of Mementos, oddly enough, there weren't that many Shadows. I was expecting more of them today, but looks like there wasn't, and the ones that saw us run away because they can sense the danger of something stronger than them. If I weren't in the car, Morgana would've been attacked by the Shadows at this point. I drive for a couple of minutes and Ryuji didn't waste time in asking me something.

"So, Nakanohara is somewhere around here?" He asks me.

"He must be. If you see something out of place let me now"

"... Everything is out of place here"

"I mean... Worst than the rest. If we find a distortion at the end of one of the rails, then he's there. People who don't have a Palace create little segments in Mementos"

"I see" Said Joker. "It shouldn't be too difficult to find" I suddenly step in the break and Morgana stopped.

"Hey! What was that for!?" Ryuji yells at me.

"I found it"

"What?"

"Look ahead" I point at the end of the tunnel. The rails twist themselves and float toward a red wall that sucks the air. "Well... That's a nice distortion"

"I wouldn't call it nice... It's creepy" Said Ryuji.

"Just the way i like them to be... Are you all ready? We are going in?" I ask and everyone nodded. "Morgana, we are going in"

"Let's do it" Said Morgana and i speed up to the wall. We went through it and end up in a big room. The rails ended there and we saw a Shadow standing in the middle of the room. He was looking at the wall, he didn't pay attention to us yet.

"Hey, something's there!" Said Ryuji.

"That must be Nakanohara's Shadow" I said. "Let's go"

"I don't know how much evil he's done, but we have to do something if he's bothering other people" Said Ann. The Shadow was mumble something. I get closer to him and he looked at us.

"Who are you!?" He yelled.

"Are you that stalker!?" Ann ask. "Haven't you ever stopped to consider how your ex feels?"

"She's my property! I can do whatever i want with her!" Said the Shadow. "It's not like she didn't treat me like a plaything! What's wrong with me doing the same!?"

"You can't treat someone like shit just 'cause they did it to you! What a load of crap..." Said Ryuji. "We're gonna change the hearts of all the bastards like you!"

"There are millions of people far worse than me!" He said. "What about Madarame...? He stole everything from me, but you're letting him off the hook!?"

"... Madarame?" I ask. "I heard that name before somewhere else..." The Shadow transform into a big orange cat walking in two feets with a big smile on his face. "Be careful, don't understament your enemy"

"Understood" Said Akira.

"Now that i finally have what's rightfully mine... I'm not going to let you take it away! This is a winner-takes-all world. Come fight me and I'll show you what i mean!" The Shadow attack Akira. He punch him and send him against the wall.

"Joker!" Ann scream. I summon Kuma Lisa and attack him with Gravity, but he dodge it pretty quickly, like a lightning. He then come right at me and punch the air in front of me, then i felt multiples punches hitting me. I fall on the ground and the Shadow was about to hit me again, but Ryuji attack him with electricity and the Shadow fall to his knees. Ann help me to stand up and Akira join the battle again.

"He hits pretty hard" I said.

"He does" Said Akira. "But he's weak to electricity... We discover his weakness really fast" The Shadow was about to stand up again.

"Skull, hit him again" Said Akira. Ryuji summons his Persona again and hit it's weakness again. The Shadow falls and we surround him, only to perform and All-out-Attack on him and finish the fight in the blink of an eye. The Shadow turn back into Nakanohara after he was defeated.

"I-I was wrong... Please forgive me..." He begged. The Shadow itself was pretty weak, but it deliver a strong punch. "That evil teacher used me, then threw me out on the street. That's what caused my fixation on her..."

"Evil teacher?" Akira ask.

"Huh? Could it be that Madarame guy he was talkin' about earlier?" Ryuji asks me.

"It looks like it..." I said.

"Yeah... I just didn't want anyone to throw me out again..."

"So some selfish bastard was making you suffer too... Still, you shouldn't have dragged an unrelated woman into your mess" Said Ann

"Yes, i know that now. I'll put an end to my love for her... Hey, you can change people's heart, right? In that case... Won't you change Madarame's heart!? Before more people fall victim to him..." The Shadow fade away and leave a blue orb behind.

"Hm? What's that shinin' thing?" Ryuji ask

"It's the bud of a Treasure" Said Morgana. "Had we left it be, it very well may have blossomed into a Palace. This is our reward" I grab the orb and turn into a ring.

"So Nakanohara had a change of heart, right?" Ryuji asks me.

"Yes, he had"

"But how are we supposed to know if we succeeded?" Ann ask me

"Maybe we'll get a confirmation. The woman that posted Nakanohara's name, if he had a change of heart, then she'll comment on the Website again" I explain. At least i hope the woman comment so we can confirm the change of heart.

"Either way, trainin' against Shadows down here's the best! It's great prep for our next target!" Said Ryuji

"It's also nice to be able to give courage to the people who post their problems online" Said Ann.

"On top of that, we can sell whatever treasure we get for some cold, harsh cash!" Said Morgana.

"I didn't have much luck with those... I really need the money" I said. "Hey... I need to confirm something here before we go"

"What is it?" Akira ask me.

"Let's go. You'll see soon enough" I said and Morgana turn into a bus again. We get inside Morgana... That came out wrong... Anyway, i drive Morgana to the lower floors where there was the wall that i couldn't get pass before. The place looked like a subway station.

"What is this place? It's kinda creepy" Said Ann.

"And a dead end at that... Why's it even exist?" Ryuji ask.

"Shut up for a moment" I said. "Let's see..." I touch the wall and it open, revealing the stairways to the lower floors.

"It opened!" Said Ann in surprise. My phone vibrate. I take it out and the app talked to me.

"An old area has been reopened in the depths. Updating guidance information" Said the Metaverse Navigator.

"Just as I thought..." I said.

"What do you mean?" Ann ask me.

"Last year, Mementos was almost completely open. Most of the areas were accesible, but at the beginning of this year, everything closed up. Mementos is tied to the general public, i think that... And this is only a theory, Mementos close itself every year and reopens its areas as the year progress... That or the general public shut it because of some unknown event that force them to do so... Or maybe Mementos is heavily tieded with the other Palaces... If that last one is the correct answer, then we have to test it" I explain.

"So we need to find another Palace? Good, I'm in" Said Ryuji. "But first we need to get to the end of the next area to see if it is close, aren't we?"

"Pretty much, but we won't do it today. We'll leave it for another day. You all come unprepared so if we go deeper, then we might find... "That" and the last thing i want is to deal with "That" again"

"... What is "That"?" Akira ask me.

"Believe me when I tell you that you don't want to know... Let's go back for now" I go back up, Akira and the rest follow me to the entrance and get out of the Metaverse.

"Mementos, huh...? I still don't get that place" Said Ryuji.

"It's not that hard once you know the basics. You'll get used to it, believe me. I did..."

"Why do you know so much about that place and the Metaverse in general?" Ann ask me.

"Well... Someone told me long ago, when i start to enter the Palace of peoples. He teach me the basic and how that world works, but Mementos... That place still bugs me" I told them a lie... It was actually a half lie. Someone did teach me, Philemon, but i won't tell them his name or the fact that i meet him in my dreams, they'll think i'm crazy. "Still, Morgana knows a lot about Mementos, more than you can imagine... But unfortunately, his memories are... gone"

"... Yeah. That's why we are trying to reach the depths too. Kagura is helping me to get my memories back" Morgana explain. "Mementos is not just everyone's Palace, it's the source of all Palaces. It used to be that Palaces like Kamoshida's with one ruler simply didn't exist. So, if we can do something about the greatest cause of distortions, i'm certain my appearance will...!"

"You wanted someone to save you too..." Said Ann

"W-W-Well... Kagura saved my life when we first met... After that, we make a deal. I'll help her with the Phantom Thieves and in return, she will help me to get my memories back"

"Aw, so you do have a soft side, Kagura"

"... He was in danger so I help, what wrong with that?"

"Nothing at all... I'll help too" Said Ann. "I hope you can regain what you've lost, Morgana"

"I'll be relying on you guys"

"... By the way Morgana... are you a boy? Or might you be a girl?" Ann asks and that make me laugh.

"He totally sounds like a girl, isn't he? But no, he's a boy" I said.

"Like Kagura said, I'm a boy. It shouldn't be that hard to figure it out" Said Morgana. "Anyway, we can perform minor changes of heart in Mementos. If we come across any eye-catching lead, it may be worth dealing with them for a bit of combat practice"

"There weren't any other outstanding ones though..." Said Ann, a little frustrated.

"I bet we'll get tons of 'em if we can change someone famous and make the Phantom Thieves well-known. The big fish are our main target after all" Said Ryuji.

"First you need to find a way to get through your exams" Said Morgana.

"I gotta study..." Ryuji sighs and then look at me. He smiles. "Hey, Kagura-senpai"

"... Why are you calling me senpai all of the sudden? You are freaking me out"

"You are always on the top of your class, aren't you?" He asks.

"That's Makoto, I'm second place"

"It's still good enough... Can you help me to study?"

"Oh, me too" Said Ann

"... Have you two lost your damn mind!? I won't help you to study"

"Please, I will do anything" Said Ryuji and I cross my arms.

"You have nothing i want... Nothing at all. Anyway, just make sure to not mess up your exams. It'll give away how stupid you are..."

* * *

 _ **5/14 Saturday**_

Lately i've been studying for the exams and this week the exams were... very simple actually. Still, i didn't stop studying for the last day, the only moment i stopped was when i start watching TV in the middle of the night because i need my mind to rest. After that first trip in Mementos, I've been feeling weird all of the sudden. I think someone was following me, at first i thought it was my imagination, but it looked like i wasn't imaginatining things. Someone was following me... Could be a stalker? I don't think so, but i can't discard that possibility just yet, i need to be careful. Today i was going to school in the subway, i leave my bike at home, because today i was tired and i didn't wanted to ride it, i might fall sleep while riding it... It happened before. I get to the subway station and to my surprise, Akira and Ryuji were there. They saw me and wave their hands.

"Kagura, over here!" Said Ryuji and i walk to them. "Good Morning"

"Morning... So you study?" I ask him and he didn't reply, so i guess he didn't. "So you didn't... Why I'm not surprised? What about you?" I ask Akira.

"It'll be easier than brushing my teeth" Akira was really confident about this.

"... Whatever you say" Ann join us shortly after that. She yawn looks like she stays up late.

"Morning..." She was obviously tired

"Yo, look who else is yawnin'" Said Ryuji

"Exams are almost over, so I thought I'd make one last effort across the finish line" She said.

"That's good..." I said. "I just hope Ryuji was more like... Huh?" I look behind me, but there was no one suspicious. The station was full of people... "Ugh... Maybe I am imagining thing"

"What's wrong?" Ann ask me.

"Nothing. I just had the feeling that someone was following me... Maybe I'm just paranoid" I said and wait for the subway. Morgana looked at me and then to the people surrounding me. Looks like he was worried about me... He shouldn't. We get in the subway and minutes later we get to Aoyama-Itchome. We get out and walk to the stairs. I look behind me and saw him... A blue haired boy. I saw him quite often lately... He was looking right at me.

"Hey, Kagura... That boy is staring at you" Said Ryuji. Morgana came out of Akira's bag.

"I saw him in the station too. He didn't stop staring at her... Maybe he's following you" Said Morgana. Akira takes a quick look at him.

"He don't have Shujin's uniform... I doubt his school is in the area"

"I've seen that uniform before... Is not from the area" Said Ann. "What do we do? If he's a stalker"

"It's not that bad" I said. "Just leave him be" I actually don't care that someone is stalking me. If he tries something i can defend myself.

"... We should confront him now. Later it will be a pain" Said Ryuji. "Come on" We follow Ryuji and he told me to stand in front of the Subway entrance and wait for him to show up. Ryuji, Akira and Ann wait near me. I heard footsteps behind me, they were walking faster to my direction. Beside the footsteps, i heard the sound of a keychain. I turn around and see his hand trying to reach me. I grab him before he could lay a finger on my and saw his face... He looked almost expressionless. I wasn't expecting that at all. Akira and the rest walk to me and saw the boy that was following me. I was still grabbing his hand. He had a keychain attached to his belt, his school uniform was simple, dark blue pants and a white long sleeves shirt.

"Is this the guy?" Akira ask me. I shrug and let go of him.

"He tries to touch me so... Hey, you were stalking me, weren't you?" I ask him

"... Stalking you...? That's outrageous" He said with a calm voice.

"I know you've been following me! Not just today, but I saw you before. You are stalking me. Why is that?" I crossed my arms and wait for him to answer my question.

"... That's because" He was about to answer, but a black car parked next to us and we saw an old man on the backseats. He smile at him.

"My goodness, Yusuke... I had wondered why you left the car. So this is where your passion led" Said the old man.

"Passion...?" I ask.

"I saw you from the car... and I couldn't help myself from chasing after you. I didn't even notice the calls from Sensei... But thank goodness, I caught to you. Before this day, I've been following you because I couldn't lay my eyes off of you" He said and I take a step away from him.

"... Okay... That's not creepy at all" I said with a fake smile.

"What?" Ryuji and Akira asked at the same time.

"You're the woman I've been searching for all this time! Please, won't you-"

"WOAH. Slown down. I-" For some reason I blush. I never blush, I refuse to do it, but it was unvoluntary. The man grabs my hands, strongly, look at me in the eyes and say...

"By the model for my next art piece!" He said and my blush completely disappear. Not only that... I felt completely disappointed. He was stalking me because he want me to model for him... That's not a reason for him to stalk me, that's just stupidity taken to the next level...

"... Wait... What? Model...?" I look at Ann. "If you want a model, ask Ann. I'm not a model and believe me when I tell you that my body is not as good as her's" Actually I had nothing to envy from Ann, physically we were almost the same. I'm a little taller than her though.

"No. All that I've drawn till now has been lacking, but i feel a passion from you unlike anyone else. Your long red hair is like the fire, your body is perfect as it is... I can feel the beauty you are trying hiding" He said.

"This man's highly suspicious!" Said Morgana.

"Ain't this a recruit for some shady business?" Ryuji asks me.

"I know, but he seems... Harmless?" Akira was doubting about this man's intentions

"Will you cooperate with me?" He asks me. "What do you say?" He starts to pressure me. Ryuji saw my hand, I already had my fist ready to hit him and walk away. He gets in his way.

"Hold your horses! Who're you anyways?" He ask

"Oh, where are my manners? I'm a second-year at Kosei High's fine-arts division. My name is Yusuke Kitagawa" Yusuke push Ryuji away and get closer to me, almost invading my personal space. "I'm Madarame-sensei's pupil, and i am being allowed residence at his place. I'm striving to become an artist"

"... Madarame?" I ask. "I remember that name... Nakanohara's Shadow mention him before. Could it be the same Madarame?" I thought

"Huh!? Do you mean THAT Madarame? The one who was on "Good Morning Japan" the other day?" Ann looked surprise.

"The very same" Yusuke confirm it

"You know who that is?" Ryuji asks her.

"He was introduced as a super-famous Japanese-style artist who's been recognized all over the world... But we heard that name the other day in Mementos" She whispers and I hear her, but Yusuke didn't.

"Yusuke, we have to go" Said the old man.

"I'm sorry, Sensei. I'll be right there!" Said Yusuke.

"That old guy's Madarame?" Ryuji ask. Yusuke ignores Ryuji's question and talked to me.

"Madarame-sensei's exhibition will begin at the department store near the station tomorrow. I'll be there to help out on opening day. Please come by. It'd be great if you could give me your answer in regard to being a model then..." Yusuke take out tickets for the exhibition tomorrow and give it to me. "I bet you have no interest in te fine arts, but i'll give you tickets too" He said to Ryuji and that make him angry. "Well then, i hope to see you there tomorrow" He said and get in the car with Madarame. The car leave and i look at the tickets.

"... What the fuck did just happen!?" I ask.

"He want you to model for him" Said Akira

"I know! I mean... I can't be a model! I don't want to be a model! I refuse to be one! Ann is better than me, he should've stalked her instead of me"

"Hey, don't say that!" Ann yells at me.

"Well... What are gonna do?" Ryuji asks me. "He gives you does tickets... You're not plannin' on goin', are you?"

"... An art exhibition" I have five tickets in my hand. One for me, three for the others and one left. "Maybe"

"Huh?"

"I mean... I won't waste free tickets. Besides, that old man... Madarame. I bet is the same Madarame that Nakanohara mentioned in Mementos"

"Are you sure about that?" Akira ask me.

"It has to be... If he isn't, then we can keep looking. We might as well take a look and see what we can find. I'll take that chance to turn down Yusuke. I won't be his model"

"Why are you so desperate about it?" Ann ask me. "I mean, i will freak out too, but you seem more freaked out... Are you insecure about your body?"

"... Just mind your own business, Ann... Let's go, we have exams today"

"How dare he go after Kagura... I've memorized that face of yours, Yusuke!" Said Morgana.

* * *

 _Sae continues with the interrogation. Kagura talks about how she and her teammates find Madarame for the first time and how the meet his pupil, Yusuke Kitagawa. Of course, Kagura didn't say his name. She wanted to keep it secret, as well Akira's, Ryuji's and Ann's names. Kagura takes a little break to try and remember what happen next._

 _"So you became acquainted with Madarame's pupil by chance? That's a little too convenient" Said Sae. "It makes me wonder if you're even telling the truth... But so be it. What I want to know most os your method. It's true that Madarame was an unforgivable criminal worthy of the scorn thrown at him. He was an adult who cultivates his fame and fortune by sacrificing the livelihood of children... But how did you discover such horrible deeds that were hidden al these years in such a short time?"_

 _"... The Metaverse play a big role in it" Said Kagura with a tired face_

 _"This "Metaverse" business again?" Sae ask._

 _"I don't give a fuck what you think, Sae. I'll continue the story. If this is true or an elaborate lie, is up to you to believe it, but I'll keep telling you the same because it did happen..."_

 _"Fine... Let's suppose that people's hearts can be changed by stealing their Treasure. like you've said. If so, a different suspicion arises. People have gone mad or lost consciousness, never to recover... like the subway accident in April and other minor incidents last year. Depending on how you look at it, that could be taken as a phenomenon for a sudden change of heart too... Were you related to those as well?"_

 _"No... To tell the truth, I didn't even stop to consider that the Psychotic Breakdown and Mental Shutdown were caused by stealing someone's heart. But i make sure that all the change of heart I did, were successful. Every single one of them... But in the end is up to you to decide that. As far as I know... You are treating me like a liar that is not worth listening... And that may be true"_

 _"... I see. Continue for the moment. Keep it concise and only of the truth"_

* * *

The exams were finally over. I could take a rest for now and wait for the scores next week. I knew that i was going to end behind Makoto, mostly because she can't stop burying her face in the textbooks. I prefer to bury mine in horror novels. I go to the station with Akira, Ryuji and Ann, today i was going to work, so I'll take the subway with Akira.

"Mmmmmm, it's over!" Said Ann. She looked really happy about the exams being over for now.

"It's over..." Ryuji, on the other hand, was almost crying. He did awful on his exams, there's no doubt about it. You look at Akira. "How 'bout you...?"

"I'm feeling confident" Said Akira with a smile

"You traitor!" Ryuji yell. "And you?"

"... The paper beg me to stop answering right" I feed on Ryuji's suffer

"Ugh... Anyway, can we stop talkin' about the exams? Like it or not, they're gonna come back graded next week. Rather than focus on stuff that's over with..." Ryuji takes out his phone.

"What are you looking at?" Ann asks him.

"The usual site" Ryuji show us the Phantom Aficionado Website. "It's no use. There ain't any useful info. The number of posts are gettin' less and less too..."

"Stop relying on that website" I said. "Most of them are from our school, so they are useless to us"

"There's no point in getting antsy though" Said Ann. "I know! Why don't we go eat lunch somewhere? We still have some money left over from the other day"

"Count me out. I prefer to eat in my house from now on" I said.

"Come on, don't be like that... Oh right. There are those tickets to Madarame's exhibit! ... Wait, that's tomorrow" Said Ann

"... So you want to go?" I ask her, then shrug and give her a ticket. "I'll go too... How about you three?"

"Don't tell me... Was it love at first sight with that Yusuke guy?" Morgana ask me and I hit Akira's bag.

"Love at first sight my ass! That's not why I'm going!"

"O-Of course not" Said Morgana.

"I'll go to investigate that Madarame. Maybe I can get some information from Yusuke" I explain.

"I'll go because when I was watching that special on TV, his artwork was pretty nice. Plus, we've got free tickets" Said Ann. I take out the rest of the tickets.

"What should I do with the rest...? I could give the rest to you... Or sell it" I said and Akira grab one of them.

"I'll go too. I'm curious about it too... Besides, I like art" He said

"Art, huh? I don't know" Said Ryuji.

"You should go too, Ryuji" Said Morgana. "Appreciating the fine arts builds character. A Phantom Thief who can't identify an original is lame"

"... Well, if everyone's going... What about the last ticket? He gives you one more" Ryuji point at the last ticket.

"That's right... Maybe I'll sell it. I can get some money from it" I said and put it in my pocket.

"Just the phrase "going to an art exhibit" sounds kinda mature" Said Ann. "Let's meet at the exhibit entrance tomorrow"

"It's settled then, don't be late"

* * *

I came back home a little earlier than usual. Sojiro didn't need much help today so he let me go early. I enter the apartment and saw my mother watching the tv. That was a surprise, she usually is not at home when I get back. I close the door and she saw me enter.

"Kagura, I wasn't expecting you this early" She said and I seat next to her.

"Sojiro let me leave early, he didn't need me that much today" In the TV people were talking about Madarame's exhibition tomorrow.

"An exhibition featuring Japanese artist Ichiryusai Madarame opens tomorrow in Shibuya" Said the Newscaster. "Anticipation for the exhibition is high, with special broadcast on TV and great ticket sales"

"I've seen some of his work on TV before" My mother said. "Tomorrow I have the day off, so I might go take a look... But tickets are sold out, aren't they?"

"Looks like it..." I Said then I remember the last ticket I have in my pocket. "Hey, Mom... Are you a fan of his work?"

"Not really, but you have to admit that some of his work is really beautiful, especially the "Sayuri". That's a really good piece of art"

"Well..." I take out the ticket from my pocket and give it to her. "I have one left, so take it"

"Wow! Where did you get it?"

"... A "friend" give it to me. He invites me to the exhibition tomorrow. He's one of Madarame's pupils"

"Really!? That's awesome!" She said. "Did you make another friend beside Makoto?"

"... Kinda" I said. "I'll go tomorrow to the exhibition with a group of friends... so, if you want to go too it's alright" My mother hugged me.

"Thanks"

"Ha... You're welcome"


	19. Art Exhibition

**_My fingers hurt, but not because of writing. It's freezing in my country, a lot. There are 3º degrees now and i can't feel my fingers XD It's getting brutal here. Anyway, enjoy the long chapter and leave me a review_**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 18: Art_ _Exhibition_**

 _ **5/15 Sunday**_

 **Akira's POV**

I went to Shibuya around midday, I found Ryuji on my way to the exhibition. We walk together there and eventually found Ann too. We get to the exhibition 5 minutes before it open so we get in the line, the place was full of people and the line was incredibly large. We go right at the end of the line and Kagura was nowhere to be seen in the line. Ryuji takes out his phone and asks her where she was. Kagura answer right away.

"I'm the first in line \\(￣︶￣)/" She wrote. Morgana gets out of my bag and went to check it out, he came back quick and confirm it.

"Yes, she's the first in the line" He said and get back inside my bag.

"She could've told us that" Said Ryuji. "Anyway, let's go" We get out of the line and went right to the beginning. There she was, but she wasn't alone. Next to her, there was an older woman that looked exactly like her. Kagura didn't look that happy to see us or to be here in the first place. "Hey, Kagura. You could've told us that you were here... Who's she?" Ryuji saw at the woman next to her. She just looked at us, then to Kagura.

"This are your friends?" She asks. "They seem like an interesting group" She smiled at us.

"Yes, Mom... They are friends from school" Said Kagura.

"Woah, you bring your mother!?" Ryuji asks and Kagura sighs.

"Remember the last ticket? I give it to her and she wanted to come with me so... Here she is" Kagura explain.

"Don't worry about me, Kagura. I'll go see the exhibition by myself. You enjoy it with your friends here" Said her mother. She looked like a very nice person. When I saw the two together it was like I was watching the day and the night together in a picture. They look the same but are completely different in personality. I don't know Kagura's mother that much but I can feel some kind of... Kindness coming out of her. "I'm so sorry if I'm bothering you"

"Oh, not at all" Said Ann. "Your daughter have been helping us a lot this day. We are grateful for that"

"Yeah, she helped a lot" Said Ryuji

"I'm glad to hear that. Kagura can be a little stubborn sometimes... Maybe always"

"Mom!"

"Let me finish... But she's someone you can rely on"

"Haha, I bet the stubbornness comes from his father" Said Ann and that made both, Kagura and her mother to look away. "Did I say something bad?"

"N-No, it's okay" Kagura's mother said. "Anyway, I hope you all keep getting along. I'm glad Kagura have more friends than just Makoto" The doors open and in front of us appear the exhibition. Already in the entrance, we could see a lot of paintings on the wall. "All right. I'll leave you with your friends, Kagura. Call me if something happens" She said and go inside the exhibition.

"That's your mother?" Ryuji ask. "I still can't believe it. You two are completely different"

"And? You have a problem with that?" Kagura asks him.

"Not really. I find it interesting" In that moment Morgana came out of my bag again.

"Are we inside yet?" He asks.

"It'll be a pain in the ass if someone sees you, so don't stick your head out too much, all right?" Said Ryuji. Morgana gets back inside and Yusuke saw us from inside the exhibition and walk right at us... More likely, right to Kagura.

"You came!" He said and grab her hands. Kagura looks away from him.

"... Yeah, I did..." She said.

"Nice to see you too here" Yusuke said to Ann

"Oh, um... Nice to see you too" Said Ann

"... You really came" He said to me and Ryuji. It was pretty obvious that he don't like us.

"What'd you expect when you left us those tickets!?" Ryuji almost yell at him.

"Make sure that you don't get in the way of the other visitors" Yusuke turn to Kagura. "Come now. I'll show you around. I'd like to speak more about the picture i'd like to draw too"

"Yeah, about the whole thing... I don't think-" Yusuke didn't listen to her, grab her hand and take her away. "Hey!" Yusuke disappear with Kagura in the crowd.

"It was like Yusuke kidnapp Kagura" I said.

"Kagura has been kidnaped!?" Morgana yells and gets out of my bag.

"Get back inside, you moron!" Ryuji said. "Ann, go with Kagura. Keep an eye on her. I have the feeling that she'll punch him in the face without thinking it twice"

"You don't need to tell me, but I think she won't do that considering that her mother is her" Ann explain.

"Oh, right... Anyway, go with them... In the meantime, we... Um... What are we gonna do?" Ryuji asks me.

"We should look around. Maybe we can get some information about Madarame" I said. "I'll also "appreciate" some of the paintings"

"All right, let's look around and see what can we found... Which way are we supposed to start?" Ryuji ask. We walk further into the exhibition and see a lot of people gathering around someone. Most of them were reporters. "Hey, it's that old man from the other day" Ryuji point at the man. It was Yusuke's sensei, Madarame.

"That's Madarame, Ryuji" I said and get a little closer to hear. The woman in front of him was interviewing him.

"We continue to be truly surprised by your imagination. You have such expansive styles, it's hard to believe that it all stems from one person" Said the interviewer. "Where in the world does all your inspiration come from?"

"Well... It is rather difficult to put into words..." Said Madarame. "They naturally well up from within my heart like bubbles rising one after another in a spring" Madarame describe how his talent comes naturally, when I hear him describe it that way, it looked like he was making that up. I didn't buy it at all. He was acting for the camera.

"Naturally, you say?" The interviewer ask.

"What's important is to distance oneself from worldly desires such as money and fame" Said Madarame.

"... Okay, now that's a direct lie" I whisper to Ryuji.

"Are you sure?" He asks me.

"I mean, look at this place. He says "Distance oneself from worldly desires such as money and fame" but it looked like he is enjoying his fame. He's smiling to the camera and the interviewer, he's enjoying himself. The clothes he's wearing... They looked old, but those aren't cheap. Besides, remember the car he was the other day? It's obvious he's spending a lot of money"

"You can tell when someone is lying?"

"It's not that hard for me, but sometimes I can be wrong, but with him... Looks like he's being more like a hypocrite in this case" I explain and Madarame keeps talking.

"My Atelier is a modest shack, but it is more than enough to pursue true beauty" He said.

"... A shack?" Ryuji ask

"I see... So the act of emptying one's mind gives rise to inner beauty. Still to think we could hear the word "shack" coming from the great artist Madarame" Said the Interviewer.

"You would understand if you saw it. Hahahaha..."

"Wasn't the word "shack" something...?" Ryuji ask me

"Odd?"

"Yeah" Out of nowhere more people start to get closer, before we could do something, a wave of people run to Madarame and take us with them. "Hey, stop pushing! There are way too many people!"

"Let's get out of here, they are crushing me to death!" I said.

"I'm getting crushed too!" Said Morgana.

"Let's get out of here! Don't die on me you two, all right!?"

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

I was dragged by Yusuke to the exhibition. He stops and starts showing me some of the painting, I wanted to say that I was not going to be part of his art piece, but he keeps interrupting me as soon I open my mouth. It was like he was in his own world of art, blind for the "beauty" of the paintings. I sigh and to my surprise, Ann joins us.

"What are you doing here?" I ask her.

"I thought it was better if I was with you. What happened?"

"He won't shut up! I can't decline him right now. I have to wait for him to shut his mouth!

"Well, take it easy. I'm here with you, I'll help you out with him"

"Thank God..." I said.

"Oh, are you joining us?" Yusuke asks with a smile.

"Y-Yeah, I couldn't leave my friend alone" She said and hug me.

"Friend?" I whisper

"Just roll with it!" She whispers at me.

"Yeah, she's my best friend. We are inseparable" I Said.

"Ah, friendship is a beautiful thing indeed" Said Yusuke. "I'm glad you are joining us. Do you have any questions regarding any of the pieces here?"

"Oh, not really" Ann look around. "It just that I didn't know there were so many types of Japanese art"

"Usually one concentrates on their own style. However, Sensei creates all this by himself" Yusuke explain. "He's special"

"He did all this...?" I ask. Each painting was completely different from the other and each one have a different tone. It's hard to believe that one person did all this. "It is impressive" I lie of course. I had my doubts on Madarame. There's no way he did this.

"I'm glad you like it" I heard someone from behind me. I turn around and find face to face with Madarame. "But you don't seem to be enjoying it that much"

"Well... It's because all this is overwhelming. I need a moment to process everything" I said to him.

"It's understandable. Ah, you are the girl from yesterday. The one that Yusuke was following. It's nice to meet you" Madarame grab my hand and shake.

"Oh, nice to meet you too sir. It's a pleasure"

"I hope you cooperate with Yusuke in his next piece. I'm sure it will be a wonderful piece" Madarame turn to Yusuke. "Make sure of it, Yusuke"

"Of course, Sensei" He said.

"Well then, if you'll excuse me" Madarame turn around and leave.

"You'd imagine an artist would be difficult to approach... but he seems really friendly" Said Ann.

"Most of them give that impression" I said. Ann looks at a big painting in the corner.

"Oh, this is it. The painting I wanted to see in person" She said and I get closer to look at it. It was a symmetric painting. In the lower part there were mountains and on top of them clouds with different types of red and blue and shades of gray, behind the mountains, the sun was raising... Or hiding. That was up to each person to decide. Still, it was a beautiful painting, I can't deny that. Not only that, it was big.

"This one?" Yusuke ask.

"It's beautiful" I whisper and Yusuke looked at me.

"It is, but... I sense this... strong frustration from it. To think such a cheerful and gentlemanly person could make such a piece" Said Ann.

"Well... The most beautiful things tend to born from the anger and frustration... Even sadness... That's what I sense from this painting... Sadness" Yusuke look away like he wasn't feeling well.

"Something wrong?" Ann asks him.

"Don't mind me. There are better pieces than... this one. Come now, this way!" Yusuke walks away. Ann follows him but stopped when saw that I wasn't moving.

"Kagura, let's go" I keep looking at the painting for a moment and then go with her.

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

Ryuji and I stay in the exhibition for a little longer, I was watching the painting and Morgana from time to time stick his head out to see the painting. They were really good, to be honest, but something about them didn't seem right to me at all. An artist can't have all these different styles, it's practically impossible. Ryuji didn't pay attention to the painting and look at the Phantom Aficionado Website. Someone step next to Ryuji, he turns around and thought it was Kagura.

"Hey, Kagura, look at this post in the Website-" He wasn't looking, but when he did, he notices that it wasn't Kagura, but her mother. "Oh! Sorry, I thought it was your daughter"

"It's okay, it happen a lot lately" She said and look at Ryuji's phone. "Is that the Phantom Aficionado Website?" She asks and we look each other in confusion.

"You know about it?" Ryuji asks her.

"Of course I know about it. I'm a fan of the Phantom Thieves after all" She said and that caught us by surprise.

"Woah, really? H-How you know about them?" Ryuji keeps asking her.

"They save me and Kagura from a man a long time ago. When it came out in the news that he had a "change of heart" and that the Phantom Thieves had something to do I was happy and I start looking at them. But I didn't find much because they were unknown at that time, but only now people start to acknowledge them after what happen to that teacher in your school"

"Well... That didn't appear on TV, but it was all over the internet. Even those calling cards" I said.

"Yeah, I'm sure they'll do everything they can to protect the weak from the people that take advantage of everyone else to achieve their goals. I don't know how they do it, but they have my support... Oh, sorry, I just got too excited now"

"Nah, it's okay. We're super fans too. Your daughter as well" Said Ryuji.

"Are you sure? She looked like she doesn't even care at all" She said in that moment, Kagura come in with Ann next to her.

"Mom, what are you doing here?" Kagura asks her.

"Nothing, just talking with your friends. Listen, I'll keep looking for a while, if you and your friends are leaving then I'll see you at home"

"Okay... Are we leaving?" Kagura ask me. "I and Ann already look everything because of Yusuke"

"Let's go" Said Ryuji and turn to Kagura's mother. "Have a nice day"

"Thanks... Um, what's your name?"

"Oh, I'm Ryuji Sakamoto, she's Ann Takamaki and he is Akira Kurusu"

"Kurusu...? Oh, the guy who's living in Leblanc's attic?" She asked. I was surprised she knew that about me.

"H-How did you know that?" I ask her.

"I talk with Sojiro Sakura from time to time and Kagura talked me about you the other day... You don't look like a criminal, you are more like a lost puppy"

"... Do I really give that impression?" I ask Ryuji

"No, to me you look normal"

"Anyway, I'll leave you with your friends Kagura. Enjoy the rest of the day" She said and go into the crowd.

"Your mother is a really nice person" Said Ann.

"If you happen to see her angry, tell me that again" She said. "Anyway, let's go. I don't want to see Yusuke again"

"Let's go outside, there's something I have to show you two" We get out of the exhibition and went to one of the stations of Shibuya. There wasn't a lot of people so we could talk. "Alright, take a look at this post on the Website. It might be about Madarame"

"What it says?" I ask and Ryuji read it out loud.

"A master of the Japanese arts is plagiarizing his pupil's work. Only his public face is shown on TV" He read.

"Plagiarizing!?" Ann asked

"I kinda saw it coming" Said Kagura. "There's no way he could make all those painting"

"I didn't think much of it when I first saw it, but hearing "shack" and "Madarame" triggered it. There's more... "His treatment of the pupils who live with him is awful. He teaches nothing and bosses them around. He treats the inhumanely as if disciplining a dog..." That's messed up"

"Abuse on top of plagiarism, hm...?" Morgana ask.

"If this is real, it'll be a huge scandal" Said Ryuji.

"First we'll have to gather information that confirms it" Said Kagura.

"I wonder if Kitagawa-kun posted this" Said Ann.

"I don't know" Said Kagura. "Looks like he cares about Madarame, still that could be a facade"

"The post it's anonymous and all... So we'll never know" Said Ryuji.

"In that case... It's possible the Madarame we heard about in Mementos is referring to the same one" Said Morgana.

"Is a man like that doing such a thing?" Ann asks, but no one answer. "I wonder if we can ask that Shadow from earlier about this... Oh. Actually, we just need to talk to him in reality"

"And how do we go about that? Are we gonna explain it all, startin' with Mementos?" Ryuji ask.

"Besides, if we make a move out in the open, there's the possibility that Madarame will find out" Said Morgana and Kagura nodded.

"Still, we should look into it. If this is legit, then it's the target we've been waiting for" Said Kagura.

"By the way... What'd you do about the whole modeling thing?" Ryuji asks Kagura and her eyes widen.

"I forgot to turn him down! Goddamit!" She yells.

"Kitagawa-kun gave me his contact info while you were watching a painting" Said Ann. "And, the address to his sensei's atelier"

"He said he lives there, right? Perfect timing" Said Ryuji with a big smile on his face. "Let's try goin' tomorrow. We're off to Madarame's house right after school!"

"Sakamoto... I won't do it. I won't model! Not tomorrow, not never!"

"What? We're just gonna talk to Kitagawa"

"Oh... That's what you meant..."

* * *

 **5/16 Monday**

After school, we went straight to Madarame's atelier. We wanted to ask Yusuke about those post about his master and if they are true. I had a feeling that if they are true, Yusuke will defend him no matter what, he seems to idolize him a lot. We take the subway to Shibuya and then went past Central Street, there was a little neighborhood there. We find the address pretty quick and found an actual shack... The house a mess.

"Is... that it?" Ryuji ask.

"We're at the right address..." Said Ann. "The door plate does say "Madarame" after all"

"I wouldn't live here even if my life depends on it" Said Kagura.

"Uhhh... You ring the bell" Ryuji say to Ann

"Me!? The walls won't collapse when I do, will they...?" Ann didn't want to get close to the house. Kagura sighs and goes to ring the bell.

"You two are such a cowards" She said. She rings the bell and Yusuke's voice came out of the communicator.

"Who is it?" He asks. "Sensei is currently-"

"It's me, Kobayashi" She said.

"I'll be right out!" He said and run to the door. He opens it and smiles at her. "Kobayashi-san-" He turns to see me and Ryuji. "You two are here, as well?"

"Hey" Ryuji smile at him, Yusuke didn't seem happy about us being here at all. "Sorry, but we ain't here to talk about the modeling thing. There's something we gotta ask you... Is it true Madarame's plagiarizin' stuff? He's abusin' people too, yeah?"

"Are you serious?" Yusuke asks him.

"We read about it online" Ryuji show him the post, Yusuke takes a look at it and laugh at it.

"Preposterous! Not only is the plagiarism impossible, but abuse? If he hated children so much to harm them, he would never allow pupils into his home! And I'm the one residing here and studying under him. I'm saying it's not true, so it's beyond doubt" Yusuke defend Madarame, I saw it coming.

"You might be lyin' about it!" Said Ryuji

"That... That is utter rubbish" He said. "I had no family when Sensei took me in and raised me into what you see now! If you continue to ridicule the man I owe my life to, you will rue this day!"

"You really think that!?" Ann asks him. Madarame came out of the house because of all the yelling.

"Yusuke?" He asks. "What's the matter? I heard you yelling"

"These people are slandering you with baseless rumors!" Yusuke yells

"Forgive them, Yusuke. They must've heard some bad rumors and came in worry for their friend's safety" Said Madarame. Yusuke calm down and sigh.

"... Understood, Sensei"

"Well, even I doubt that a cranky old man like myself could bo liked by everyone" Said Madarame.

"That's not what we meant..." Said Ann

"I'm sorry to have butt in on your conversation. However, I do have neighbors around. Won't you please keep it down? Now, if you'll excuse me" Madarame turn around and go back inside the house.

"... That was discourteous of me... I'm sorry" Yusuke apologizes to us. "... I know! I think you'll be able to believe in Sensei if you saw that painting"

"What painting?" Kagura asks.

"It's his maiden work as well as his most representative piece... It's titled "Sayuri". Here it is" Yusuke take out his phone and show us the picture. It was a beautiful woman wearing red, she was surrounded by clouds and the sun behind her was rising above them. "This was the painting that inspired me to become an artist"

"It's so beautiful" Said Ann.

"I don't know all this fine-art stuff, but even I can tell that this is impressive" Said Ryuji.

"What about you, Kagura?" Yusuke asks her.

"... Beautiful can't describe it" She said.

"When I first saw you, I felt the same powerful emotion as when I saw this painting..." Said Yusuke to Kagura, grab her hands and look her in the eyes.

"I wish to pursue beauty like this. And I believe drawing you will be part of that pursuit. I implore you: seriously consider my offer" Yusuke bow to Kagura. I saw her and I saw doubt in her eyes. She looks away and crosses her arms.

"... I MIGHT consider it, but don't get your hopes up" She said. "Be grateful that I'm even thinking about it"

"Thank you! I'm sorry that you took the time to come all this way, but I must assist Sensei today. I hope that we can discuss this further another time. If you'll excuse me, then" Yusuke go back inside to the house and we stay in front of the house to discuss what happened.

"Those two... seem like nice guys, don't they?" Ryuji asks and Kagura sighs.

"No, it can't. It has to be this Madarame. According to that post, there isn't another Madarame that is a Master of Japanese arts" Said Kagura.

"I don't know" Said Ann. "Maybe we are wrong"

"Well... There's only one way to find out" Kagura take out her phone and open the Metaverse Navigator. "Ichiryusai Madarame" She said and the app finds a candidate. We gather around her.

"This display... It means that Madarame has a Palace too, right!?" Ann ask. "But, why?"

"That means that the post was true" I said.

"Does an old man like him really have a Palace!?" Ryuji ask.

"Don't underestimate him because his old, Ryuji" Said Kagura. "He mentioned Shack, correct? So that must be the location" The app react again at the mention of the word shack. "Then it's confirmed then"

"We have the person's name and the location" Said Morgana. "All that's left is the "what" that Madarame mistakes this shack for to enter his Palace"

"You mean like how Kamoshida thought the school was his castle?" Ann ask

"That's right... Let's see, it shouldn't be that hard" Said Kagura. "He's an artist, so it has to be something related to that... Exhibition?"

"No candidates found" Said the app

"Art school?" Ryuji ask

"No candidates found"

"Art Supply store?" Ann ask

"No candidates found"

"A museum...?" I ask and the app reacts again.

"Ichiryusai Madarame... Shack... Plagiarism Museum... Beginning Navigation" The app take us right to the Metaverse without giving us time to prepare. We enter and our outfits change again. We weren't in that neighborhood, but instead in a parking lot, in front of a large museum made of gold.

"Hey, when did you activate the Nav!? You surprised... me... Woah! Is that a museum?" Morgana ask. The museum had at least 14 floors, it was a giant building made of gold, it was so shining that my eyes hurt.

"... I saw this before... But it was a tower" Said Kagura

"That shack is seriously some kinda museum!?" Ryuji ask

"Let's go check it out"

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

We enter the Palace and surprisingly enough, there wasn't a single Shadow around at all. When we make our way inside, we saw the painting of his students, including Yusuke, not only that, we confirmed that Madarame was plagiarized his student's work. That was enough for me to still his Treasure, Ryuji and Akira were with me on this too, but Morgana wanted to actually confirm it in the real world. I didn't want to, his Palace was enough proof for me, but Ann wanted to talk with Yusuke again about this. That is why I'm calling Yusuke right now and ask him if he's free tomorrow so I can... Model. I can't fucking believe it, I'm actually doing this. I sigh and mark the number in my phone, I wait for him to answer me. He answers right away.

"Who is it?" He asks.

"... It's me, Kobayashi" I said

"Kagura? So, you are agreeing to be my model?" He asks. I take a moment and answer his question.

"Yes... I will be your model, Yusuke. Are you free tomorrow after school?"

"Of course I am. I will be waiting for you in Sensei's house. I can't wait for tomorrow"

"Yeah... Me too. I'll see you tomorrow then"

"Thank you so much for this, Kagura. You have my gratitude" I hung up and lay in my bed.

"... I don't want to model... (sighs) Tomorrow will be a tough day indeed..."

* * *

 _ **5/17 Tuesday**_

After school, we gather in Shibuya and go straight to Madarame's house without wasting any time. We enter and Yusuke let us go inside. Just like yesterday, he didn't like the fact that Ryuji and Akira were there, as, for Ann, he was okay with her to be here, but looks like he wanted me to go alone. We go to a room with a canvas already in place for him to draw, behind it there were brushes and paint of every color.

"I thought it would just be you coming, Kobayashi-san" Said Yusuke.

"Sorry, they wanted to come" I lie. "Besides, I get nervous when I'm alone in a room with a boy I barely know"

"... That's comprehensible" He said

"We're here to keep an eye on you, so don't try anything perverted, 'kay?" Said Ryuji.

"Sorry, but we care about her" Said Akira. "I hope it's not a problem"

"I see... You can stay then" Said Yusuke with a smile. He then walks to me. "Please, sit in that chair. I'm gonna ask you to pose for me"

"... Alright" I sit down, put my hands on my crossed legs and look at the window. "Is this good? Or do you want me to do something with my hair?"

"Leave it like that, I like it. Well then, let's get started..." Yusuke looks at me and starts drawing with a pencil first. I turn to Akira for a moment, he was talking with Ryuji and Ann, they let Morgana out of the bag and he goes to take a look at the other rooms in the shack. Yusuke from time to time stops drawing to ask me some questions. "Kagura... Do you use any dress? That long skirt you use gives the impression that you don't like to show your legs... Or your body in general" He said. He was kinda right about that, I don't like to dress like the other girls and I always use a long skirt.

"From time to time I use a dress... When I'm not using my uniform I use a long skirt instead of a short one. I don't like to show too much" I said.

"I see... So you don't like to show your beauty to the world"

"... I wouldn't call myself beautiful"

"Why not?"

"... I don't see me like that. I look myself in the mirror and only see a normal girl" I don't know why I'm actually talking to him. I shouldn't even be here in the first place.

"I think you look good" Said Akira.

"S-Shut up! Just keep drawing, Yusuke" I said and Yusuke focuses on the canvas again. After almost an hour, Yusuke stop drawing and sighs.

"Are you done?" Ryuji asks

"It's no good..." He said. Looks like he was having troubles with the painting

"Am I the problem?" I ask him. "Or are you stuck in something?"

"No, not at all. It's just... I'm having trouble staying focused today. I'm sorry, but we'll have to resume this another time..." Yusuke asks us to leave, maybe this was or opportunity to ask.

"Oh hell no! How many hours do you think you made us wait!?" Ryuji yells at him.

"Shut up, Ryuji. It was an hour. It's not like we stay here for 12 hours" I said.

"She's right, Ryuji. Calm down" Said Akira. "Sorry, Yusuke. We had another reason for being here today. We need to talk to you"

"It's about those rumors regarding your Sensei" Said Ryuji

"This again..." Yusuke stands up.

"That painting I saw at the exhibit... You're the one who actually painted it, right?" I ask him and he looked both surprised and hurt. "I knew it. Listen, we want to help you"

"Your sensei's seriously messed up. He just thinks of his pupils as tools. That's why he doesn't give a damn whether he steals their work of physically beats them" Said Ryuji. "I'll make this clear, there's no point in hidin' stuff from us"

"... I have no idea what you're talking about..." Yusuke tries to deny it.

"You couldn't go against him, could you? I'm sure we can help you out though..." Said Ann

"Stop it... It's just as you all say. We're... our sensei's "artwork". That's all true" Yusuke finally confess it. We already knew it thank to the Metaverse, but hearing it from him it was different. We could feel the pain in his voice. He felt like he was betraying his master. "Don't misunderstand me though. I offered my ideas to him myself. As such, it can't be called plagiarism. Sensei is simply suffering from artist's block right now"

"Dude, still..." Ryuji was worried about him, just like all of us, I included. I can accept that a man like Madarame is using his students like this. He's a piece of shit. "If that's true then why are you stickin' around!? All his other pupils ran away! Aren't you the only one left!?"

"What's wrong with a pupil helping out his master!?" Yusuke yells at us. "There are no victims here! Stop pushing your self-centered righteousness on me!"

"Are you OK with this?" Akira asks him. Yusuke looks down.

"... I'm supporting Sensei as his pupil. Where's the wrong in that? Don't ever come here again you three... If you do, I'll sue you for causing a disturbance"

"Hold it! We're not done talkin' here!" Ryuji yell

"Then you leave me with no choice" Yusuke take out his phone. "I'm reporting you to the police" I grab Yusuke's hand.

"Wait, there's no need for you to do that. We can resolve this like adults without the police getting involved... Please" I look at him in the eyes and try to convince him to not call the police.

"... I ask you to be my model today, but I don't recall ever calling those three here... Fine... I won't report them, but only under one condition"

"What's that?" I ask

"I want you to continue being my model, Kagura Kobayashi" He said.

"You want me to continue being your model? Why? What I have that other girls don't?" I ask him seriously.

"Easy, from the other girls I have seen so far, you are given a different aura from the others. I can sense that you hide your true self, your true beauty behind that mask, behind those clothes. That is why, if you're willing to bare everything to me..."

"... Bare?" I ask in fear... genuine fear.

"I will put my heart and soul into creating the best nude painting ever!" Yusuke yells and all of us froze. A couple of seconds after that we all reacted differently but still surprised.

"WHAT!?" Ryuji yell

"Are you serious just now!?" Akira asks him.

"Nude!?" Ann ask. Everyone looked at me, I was about to have some kind of attack

"N-N-N-Nude?" I stutter. "Li-Like... without... any... c-c-clothes?"

"Kagura, are you alright?" Ann ask me

"N-N-Nude..." I repeat.

"Dude, I think she's broken" Ryuji whisper to Akira.

"Ah, to think I'd be able to create a nude painting with my most ideal model!" Said Yusuke. "Of course, you three won't be allowed in, and I ask that you forget about our discussion today, as well. If I don't submit a new piece to Sensei soon, there will be some inconveniences"

"N-Nude... WAIT! Wait a minute! Why the fuck it need to be nude!? I refuse to take off my clothes for this! The only reasons I take off my clothes is to take a shower, nothing more!"

"Those are my terms" Yusuke smile

"Wait, ain't that bad!?" Ryuji ask

"Sensei is out during the afternoon while the art exhibit is on, so I can use this place freely... I should buy more art supplies"

"Hey! I told you I won't do it! So grab all those brushes and shove them right up your a-" Ryuji cover my mouth before I could finish.

"S-She's kidding, Yusuke" He said. "We'll talk to her and she'll call you back for sure"

"Excellent. I'll make time according to your plans. But, please come before the exhibit ends. Sensei will be returning home soon. We're done for today. Kobayashi-san, I'll be waiting for you to contact me when you are in a better mood. Now I can feel a lot of rage coming from you"

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" I thought. I couldn't speak because Ryuji was covering my mouth and trying his best to restrain me. If he didn't I would've just punch Yusuke.

"She'll contact you when she's not having an attack" Said Akira and help Ryuji to take me outside. Morgana saw us getting outside and he follow us to the street. Ryuji and Akira let go of me and I yell at them.

"DON'T DO THAT AGAIN!" I yell.

"You were about to insult him and for the looks of it, you were about to hit him" Said Ryuji.

"OF COURSE! HE'S OUT OF HIS FUCKING MIND! IF THIS KEEPS UP I'LL END UP POSING NAKED IN FRONT OF HIM!"

"How dare that Yusuke!" Said Morgana.

"The way he said it, it's not gonna be semi, but full-on nude" Said Ryuji and I had my fist ready with his name writing on it.

"F-Fu- F-F-Full nudity...? Kagura's gonna..." Morgana stutter.

"I'm not afraid to kill you both if you don't shut up about this. I'll even admit the crime that turns myself in. I'll commit suicide in my jail cell so I can torture you two in the fucking afterlife!" I yell again.

"Calm down" Said Akira

"YOU calm down!"

"You know, you won't have to worry about that if we make Madarame confess before the exhibit ends" Said Ryuji

"... You are right" I sigh.

"But Kitagawa-kun thinks he owes his life to him. Is there a need to make Madarame confess?" Ann ask.

"Fuck him! He needs to open his eyes for once!"

"She's right. Madarame's no different from Kamoshida. That asshole's usin' Yusuke, who doesn't have parents. You're tellin' me we should just ignore how he's bein' treated horribly like the other pupils?" Ryuji asks Ann.

"No... It is frustrating to leave this alone, even if Kitagawa-kun is fine with it himself..."

"Anyway, we gotta go after this guy. Madarame's the kind of target we've been waitin' for. Let's help Yusuke come to his senses too" Said Ryuji

"We need to look into Madarame first" Said Morgana

"Who knows what he's hiding. There has to be more than just abuse and plagiarism, I bet he's hiding something darker" I said

"It may become easier for us to investigate his Palace if he's preoccupied with his exhibit" Said Morgana.

"Also, there's the thing about Kagura modeling!" Said Ann.

"Mention that again and I will get mad, Ann"

"But remember what Kitagawa-kun said. That there'd be "inconveniences" unless he submits a new piece... Maybe that's going to be announced soon as Madarame's next work"

"Does that mean the whole country's gonna see her nude!?" Ryuji ask

"... I'm going to lose it if someone says the word nude again!"

"We must deal with Madarame, no matter what, before his exhibit ends!" Said Morgana.

"Then let's go after school tomorrow... It'll be a pain if Miss President finds us on the rooftop again, so where to meet up... Let's see... I guess that walkway-like place in Shibuya would work. It's near Madarame's place, too" Said Ryuji.

"Easy to get too" I said. "Are we all agreed on that?"

"Changing our hideout periodically, huh? That's a plan I don't mind backing" Said Morgana.

"All right. Let's meet there after school" I said, before we could leave, a woman stopped us.

"Hey, can I talk to you kids for a sec?" She ask us. "From the looks of things, you don't seem like the ordinary, stalking fans"

"Uh... What?" Akira asks her.

"Oh, sorry. I should've been more clear. I'm actually looking for people that know Madarame's pupils. There's this painting, "Sayuri" that was supposedly stolen in the past. But there's this rumor that it was taken by one of his pupils in retaliation for being abused. Have you heard anything about that?" She ask us. From the looks of it, she must work on a magazine or for a newspaper, she also had a camera on her hand.

"Not really" I said. "But I wouldn't be surprised if that rumor is true"

"I see... There's no case unless there's a victim and if there's no proof of abuse... I can't write either" She said. "Looks like I'm back to square one. Sorry for taking your time" She turn to Akira and give him a card. "I'm a journalist. If you ever get any leads, mind contacting me here?"

"All right" Akira take the card.

"See you later then" The woman leave and we do the same. Each one of us goes back home. When I get back home I fall to the sofa and sighs. I was tired, I close my eyes for a moment but I open then almost immediately when I heard my phone. I take it out and saw Ryuji writing in the chat...

"I found something insane about Madarame" He wrote. "Sounds like a student of his offed himself when he couldn't speak up about Madarame stealing his work"

"You have to be kidding me, really!?" I wrote

"Is that true?" Akira wrote

"That journalist was looking into Madarame too. It could be real" Ann wrote

"Someone died though. No one's talking about it... I bet it was covered up" Ryuji wrote

"I wonder if Kitagawa-kun has heard anything... It'd be great if he could help us out" Ann wrote

"Ain't that asking a bit much?" Ryuji wrote. "After today, he's prolly gonna be on edge about us. Well anyway, Madarame's still a piece of crap! Let's meet up tomorrow. It'll be our first time at the new hideout"

"It's that passageway in Shibuya, right?" Ann ask. "Got it. See you guys tomorrow" Everyone leaves the chat and I leave the phone on the floor. I was tired, I didn't want to move at all. I close my eyes and sleep for a moment. I close them for a couple of minutes then a sudden dream came to me... A man with a knife, he runs at me, stabs me in the stomach and I open my eyes again. I get up from the sofa and shake my head.

"That dream... again"


	20. Yusuke's Painting

**_Chapter 19: Yusuke's Painting_**

 ** _5/18 Wednesday_**

 **Kagura's POV**

That day we went straight to Madarame's Palace. Before we head to the hideout, Nakanohara finds us in the station. Mishima told him where we were, he wanted to ask us directly to change Madarame's heart. He confirms the rumor of one of his pupils committing suicide and he wanted to Yusuke to be free from him. Shortly after that, we head to the Palace with the sole purpose to find his treasure. This time I go with Akira and the rest because they might need my help in this. Not only that looks like there was only one way to get to the treasure. Everything was closed up and protected with lasers. We go together and find Shadows this time. They weren't that tough, but I'll admit that they were a little stronger than the ones in Kamoshida's Palace. I stay behind, when they need my help, I jump in battle and end it in a few seconds. The more I fight Shadows, the more I start to notice... I haven't found a Shadow with a gravity skill. For the moment looks like I'm the one with this ability... Maybe it's a unique ability or something like that. I bet Akira and the others might gain a unique ability at some point. After minutes of walking through the Palace and stumble into an obvious trap, I won't say who trigger it, I don't want to blame someone... "MORGANA", we reach a dead end. We arrive at a courtyard cover by infrared lasers and electric fences. Behind that, a giant door was completely closed. The door itself had a nice design, it looked like a tree with tail feathers of a peafowl.

"Woah! The hell!?" Ryuji ask.

"Are these... infrared lasers? There's no way we can get past them" Said Ann

"This level of security only proves there's something worth protecting up ahead" Said Morgana

"Even if I make Kuma Lisa take us to the other side, we won't get through that door" I said and saw a sign near the infrared lasers. "What's that?"

"It says... "All personnel: This door can only be opened via the security room that lies beyond it. Please be cautious, as it is impossible to open from the outside" Well, that's a trouble" Said Akira

"So it's never gonna open!? How're we supposed to get past...!?" Ryuji yell.

"... Let's find a rocket launcher and blow it up" I said.

"If it was that easy..." Said Ryuji.

"Wait... That door... I think I've seen that pattern somewhere" Said Morgana. "... Oh right! There's no mistaking it! That's the same door i saw earlier! Guys, let's head back for now"

"Huh? Why!?" Ryuji ask.

"I think I know what real-world door that's based on. There may be another way to open it!" Said Morgana

"Let's go. We have no reason to stand around here anymore anyways" I said and we get out of the Palace and the Metaverse. We ended up in front of Madarame's house. "All right. How're we supposed to get past that door, Morgana?" I ask him.

"This is where I come in" Morgana smile... Or at least I think. It was really hard to tell when he's a cat. "I'll explain. This shack is the basis for Madarame's Palace. I actually scouted it out the last time we were here"

"Yeah, i remember you get out of the room" I said. "...Oh, right. Cognition and all that shit... So you find the exact same door in the shack. Where is it?"

"It's on the second floor. I noticed an unnaturally hefty lock on a door up there" He said.

"So is locked in reality too" I said. "If we open it in the real world, that'll change Madarame's cognition and it will open in the Palace"

"Correct. Just as I expected from you, Kagura" Morgana praise me.

"If it's locked, that means there's something in there he doesn't want people to see" Said Ann.

"Most likely... But this is the tricky part... We need to open it in front of Madarame's eyes" Said Morgana.

"So he has to see it open before him..." Said Ryuji. "It is tricky... But is that gonna work?"

"Trust me! There's no chance it won't open!" Said Morgana. "It's worth a try. What do you say, Akira?"

"I say we do it. It is worth a try, we had nothing to lose" He said.

"But even then, there's still that hefty lock we have to deal with in reality, right?" Ann ask

"Oh, that'll be a breeze. Just give me a hairpin and I'll handle it" Said Morgana. "It will take some time though. Doing everything by myself in front of Madarame would be impossible. If only there was someone who could distract him for a while..." He looked at me, Akira, Ryuji and Ann as well.

"... Why are you looking at me like that?" I ask and then it hit me. "Oh No... No, No, No!"

"Man, how are we even gonna get into his house? We'd get reported for sure if we force ourselves in... I guess the only way is... havin' you go nude" Said Ryuji with a big smile on his face. I sigh and grab him by the shoulders.

"What are you- Ugh!" I kick him right in the balls. As hard as I could. "You... Witch..." He said and fall to the ground in extreme pain. I look at the rest and they take two steps away from me.

"Does anyone is going to say that word again?" I ask with a smile. "Come on, I dare you to say the word"

"W-We're not saying you should really do it" Said Akira

"I-It's simply the best excuse for you to enter Madarame's house without raising suspicions" Said Morgana. "So, we'd like for you to play the role of decoy, Kagura"

"... You better know what you are doing, Morgana. I'm not afraid of hurting you if you fail" Ryuji stand up, he was still in pain.

"Are you alright?" Akira asks him.

"Am I dead...? I saw a light at the end of a tunnel" Said Ryuji.

"Anyway... This is what we are going to do. I'll go with you, Kagura" Said Morgana. "I need you to distract Yusuke until Madarame come back from the exhibit. Once he comes back I might have the door open, so I need you to lead him to the door"

"... What about Yusuke?" I ask.

"If he sees the door open it won't really matter. If things go south, we can run to the Palace and disappear"

"... You make it sound so easy..." I scratch my head and yell. "Urghhhh! Fine! I'll do it, but you better pull this off!"

"If it's for your sake Kagura, I won't stop scratching even if all my claws were to break!"

"... Whatever you say... But if he tries to force my clothes off... I'll destroy not only the house but all of you in the process"

"All right, let's do this tomorrow" Said Ryuji. Looks like the pain go away for a moment

"Tomorrow!?" I ask. "But I have work tomorrow!"

"The earlier the better..."

"Ugh, fine... I'll see if Yusuke agrees and call Sojiro"

"If he can't tomorrow, say something like "I really need it to be tomorrow." Like that, with a sexy voice. That should work, yeah?" Ryuji asks me.

"... Sakamoto, you really have a death wish, don't you?"

"N-No, please don't hit me again. That really hurt" I go back home shortly after that. I sit on the sofa, the TV was in front of me, I look at it for a couple of minutes, I was looking at my own reflection. I take out my phone and call Yusuke. He answers right away.

"Kobayashi-san!" He said and didn't give me time to say something. "So, are you agreeing on my terms?"

"... Yes, Yusuke. I'll do it. Can I go tomorrow?" I ask. I remember that I have work tomorrow so I'll tell Sojiro something come up and I can't go.

"Sure, tomorrow I'm free. I'll be waiting for you after school" He sounded happy. "I can't wait"

"Yeah... My neither" I hung up and sighs. "What am I gonna do? I don't want to do it... I don't want to do it... Is there a way to distract him long enough until Morgana open that door? There has to be... Think... Think... Think!" My phone vibrates, I enter the chat room again.

" _You get in touch with Yusuke?_ " Ryuji wrote

" _Yes, tomorrow it is..._ " I wrote.

" _Awww yeah, he fell for it!_ " Ryuji wrote.

" _... This better work. I don't want to take my clothes off_ "

" _Strip for him, Kagura,_ " Akira wrote.

" _When this is over, I'll make sure you suffer. I'll make your life a living hell!_ " I wrote

" _Man, this is such a pain..._ " Ryuji wrote. " _We gotta open that door AND have Madarame see it, right?_ "

" _Yeah, Morgana said that'll change his cognition,_ " Ann wrote.

" _Alright... Oh, and one more thing_ " Ryuji wrote. " _Let us know if any weird shit goes down and we'll be there to back you up ASAP_ "

" _If something happens I'll call the cops_ " I wrote and get out of the chat room. "Damn... I don't think I will get any sleep because of this"

* * *

 ** _5/19 Thursday_**

I call Sojiro yesterday and told him I was going to study with friends today. He was okay with it so I won't go to work today, but there was a problem... I was nervous... No, that's not the word... Scare, yes, I was scared... And angry. The whole day I was trying to not bash my head against a wall or my classroom's desk. In one of the lectures, the only thing I could think about was about what was going to happen today. I couldn't come up with something, I don't know Yusuke so I didn't know how to distract him until Madarame came back and look at the door open... The teacher was talking about art and show us a painting of a naked woman, I blush and hit my head against the desk. Everyone looked at me, included Makoto, and I just ignore them. I ask the teacher if I could go to the bathroom, he let me go and I walk as fast as I could to the bathroom. I enter and close the door behind me, I look myself in the mirror, I was sweating, my heart was beating fast and I was having troubles to breathe. I calm myself the best I could. This was starting to driving me insane... I need to think of something else, but I couldn't... Looks like there was no other choice... Or was it? I decided to improvise when I get there. Now I couldn't come up with something. Makoto enters to the bathroom and ask me if I was feeling well, I lie to her and told her that I was just tired... She didn't completely believe me, but she let me go after that. I mean, it was better that than tell her I was having a panic attack. After school ended and I went right to the hideout. I wait for the rest to show up and then go over the plan.

"Alright, Kagura, Morgana, we're countin' on you. Me, Akira and Ann are banned from goin' there, so all we can do is wait here" Said Ryuji

"No, you three have something different you'll need to do" Said Morgana.

"What do you mean?" Akira ask

"You have to wait inside the Palace. Once that door opens, sneak in and look for some kind of control room. We need to make sure the door can't close anymore after it's open" Morgana explain.

"Ohhh, I get it. Mkay, you can leave that to us!" Said Ryuji. "By the way, Kagura... Are you alright?"

"No, I'm not. I just had a panic attack in school" I said and sighs. "Let's get this over with. Go to the Metaverse and wait for the door to opens... We might jump right there if things go wrong"

"Okay, be careful" Said Ann to me.

"I will" We all go to Madarame's house. They enter the Metaverse and I go to the house. Yusuke opens the door and leads me to the room we were the other day. He went to prepare the paint, his brushes and everything he needs to paint. I sit down, I was sweating and my heart was beating again. My mind was in blank, I need to improvise something to keep him busy while Morgana takes care of that door. Morgana goes right to the door as soon we enter.

"To think you'd really come... I assumed you were lying when you contacted me" Said Yusuke

"I'm sorry it was so sudden... And I'm sorry for my outburst the other day. I'm actually scared to do this..." That wasn't a lie, I was being honest now. Maybe I could make him talk and start a conversation. If I can drag it long enough I'll be safe.

"Oh, it's not a problem. I understand, I also realize that it was a sudden proposition and I wasn't thinking about your emotions or your reaction to it" Yusuke seem more... normal now. "I let my emotions to blind my sight from time to time and I don't take into consideration the others. I'm the one that should be sorry"

"Oh... Thank you. I'm a little calm now" I said.

"I'm glad to hear that. Sensei will be returning I about twenty or thirty minutes. So um... I'm sorry if that causes some anxiety too"

"It's okay... I think" Yusuke turn around to see me.

"So then... can you, um... get ready here?" Yusuke was asking me to do it now. I had to think of something to talk about, quick, think!

"Umm... I'll do it but before that... What kind of painting are you going to do?" I ask him and that took him a little by surprise, he wasn't expecting me to ask.

"Well... It's a little difficult to put into words" Yusuke look around for a moment. "Think of it as modesty"

"Modesty?" I ask.

"It's a little difficult to express into words, but I want to paint someone beautiful that hide from the world. I see you and I can't stop thinking about you. You are clearly a modest person. When someone compliments you, you just say that they shouldn't do it. If someone calls you beautiful, you say you aren't when you clearly are. A Modest person are the more beautiful, they see the world with other eyes, they think different, they see life differently. I want to paint the Modesty and I think that painting you naked is a good way to achieve it" Yusuke explain.

"... Do you really think I'm beautiful?" I ask him. We were making conversation now, I just need to drag him long enough... "You shouldn't waste your time with someone like me. I don't think I'm worth it... A-A mean, I'm not modest. I can be a bad person from time to time"

"You look perfect to me for the painting. Now then, we shouldn't wait any longer"

"... Can you wait a little longer? I'm not mentally prepared for this... I need help" I didn't know what to say anymore, he was getting closer to me.

"Y-You want help... Fine" Yusuke got closer to me and grab my school jacket.

"H-H-Hey! Not that kind of help! Get your hands off me, pervert!" Yusuke didn't let go of me, I try to get him off and I accidentally fall to the floor and him on top of me. I hit my head against the floor and that hurt a lot, but the pain go away when I feel Yusuke's hand touching my skin. My jacket was open and my shirt was up. Yusuke was touching my stomach, his eyes widen when he see it and looked at me in the eyes. He was touching me in a place I didn't want him or anyone to see. Every time I see myself in the mirror, at that specific part of my body, I remember something I don't want to remember.

"K-K-Kobayashi-san... Is this a scar?" He asks me and my eyes widen. "Who did this to you?" I look away, but this position wasn't helping. He was on top of me just like... I push him away.

"I shouldn't have come here. This was a mistake" I stand up and go to the door. "Sorry, but I'll leave. I won't be your model" I open the door and run away.

"No, wait, Kobayashi!" Yusuke runs after me. I went to the second floor and saw Morgana trying to open the door.

"You're still not done!? Leave it. We're leaving" I said.

"What? But I didn't... What happen to you?" Morgana look at me. I close my jacket so he can't see it.

"Just leave it, I don't want to stay anymore" I said and Yusuke finds me. I get in his way so he can't see Morgana opening the door.

"Please, can you just wait... I'm sorry for this. Can we please go back to the room? You want to talk about it?"

"No! I don't to talk about it! Just forget what you just saw. It was just... An accident..."

"An accident...?"

"Just forget about it... Look, find someone else to paint. I'm really not worth it. You want someone beautiful, I'm not that kind of person. I have a lot of imperfection and this... This is one of them. Just... leave me"

"I can't" Said Yusuke. "Calm down... We should talk about this with calm. I'll prepare you a cup of tea, do you like tea?"

"I am CALM. And no, I don't want tea!" I yell and we heard the front door opening.

"I'm home!" It was Madarame

"S-Sensei!?" Yusuke was surprised, me too. He came back earlier than expected. Madarame saw us.

"Yusuke, is something wrong?" Madarame walk to us and Morgana open the door.

"It's open!" He said and run inside. I grab Yusuke's arm and drag him with me inside. To tell the truth, I didn't know why I bring him with me. The room was completely dark.

"What are you doing there!?" Madarame ask.

"Kobayashi-san, this is bad! This is Sensei's room, we can't..."

"Just shut up! I don't know, I can't see..." I find the light and turn them on when I did, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It was the "Sayuri"... There was a lot of copies of it.

"What the..."

"Hell!?" I finish Yusuke's sentence. "Sayuri? Why there's so many of them?"

"I have no idea..." He said. Madarame enters the room, completely angry at us.

"Get out!" He yelled

"Sensei, what is the meaning of this?" Yusuke asks him.

"I suppose I can't keep quiet now that you've seen this... Truth be told... I'm in severe debt. I handmade these "Sayuri" copies and have been selling them through a special connection of mine" Madarame explain. He was lying and I knew it.

"But why?"

"The real "Sayuri" was stolen by one of my pupils long ago. I assume they begrudged my strictness. That moment was quite a shock for me... Since then, I've been mired in a terrible artist's block... Because of this distress, some of my pupils handed their ideas over to me from time to time. I knew I couldn't keep that up, so I attempted to recreate the "Sayuri" a number of times. However, it resulted in nothing more than replicas... That's when someone came to buy the painting, knowing well they weren't original. It's all my fault. I couldn't pay the price of being famous. As expectations for me rose, it reached a point where I had no choice but to keep making them. I... needed money to further your talents... I ask that you please forgive your cowardly teacher..."

"Wait..." I said. "If the original painting got stolen, how did you make copies of it...?"

"I happened to find a finely detailed photograph of it in an artbook" Madarame explain to me.

"... I don't buy that. That's a really bad lie... And I know of lies"

"What would you know?"

"Something is not right here. Your lie has too many details, a good lie is simple and not that long" I turn around and saw a painting cover in a big cloth. I take it out and find another "Sayuri", but this one was different from the others... This was the real "Sayuri".

That's "Sayuri"...? This... This is the real "Sayuri"! But you just said a moment ago that it was stolen!" Yusuke couldn't believe it. Madarame's lie was falling apart.

"That's a replica!" He said.

"No, it's nothing of the sort! This painting kept me going... It's the reason I made it this far... Sensei... Don't tell me..."

"It's fake... Yes, a counterfeit! I heard there was a counterfeit spreading around, so I bought it!"

"You're trying too hard now, Madarame" I said.

"She's right. You're lying, Sensei... Please just tell us the truth..."

"So you too..." Madarame takes out his phone and press a couple of numbers. "I've reported you to my private security company!"

"You did what!?"

"I had it set up to deal with some problematic paparazzi, but I never thought it'd come in so handy"

"Please, wait! Let's talk about this!" Yusuke wanted to talk his way out of this. "You can talk all you want to the police"

"Fuck this!" I said and run away, Morgana follows me.

"A cat!?" Madarame said when he saw Morgana. "There's no point! They'll be here within two minutes!"

"Kobayashi-san!"

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

Everything went according to plan. The door open, the infrared lasers disappear and we could go inside. Once there we fight the Shadows that stand in our way and go right to the security room, we disable the security and go back to the courtyard.

"I hope those two managed to get away" Said Ryuji.

"I'm sure they did" Said Ann. "Let's no worry too much about them. We need to... Hey, did you hear something?"

"No" Said Ryuji. We hear a scream, it was like Kagura. "Was that Kagura?" We heard it from above us. We saw a little red portal opening above us and from it came out Kagura and Yusuke. Yusuke grabs Kagura in his arms and landed perfectly on the floor.

"That was close" Said Yusuke and Morgana fall right on his head. "Gah!"

"Aaagh...! Owwwwww!" Said Morgana in pain.

"That was... unexpected" Said Kagura. "How long are you gonna carry me like that? Let go of me!" Kagura pushes Yusuke away and he falls to the ground. "Goddammit! I can't believe how fast everything went to shit!"

"What happened?" Ryuji asks me.

"A lot, but there's no time for that now. We need to leave now... And Yusuke is with us in the Metaverse... It can't get worse, can it?" Yusuke shakes his head and looks at us.

"Who are you all!?" He asks, I was no surprise that he reacted like that. I'll be more surprising if he didn't.

"Calm down, Kitagawa-kun! It's us!" Said Ann and she take out her mask.

"Ann Takamaki?" He then looks at us and we did the same. "You too? And she...?" He looks at Kagura, she sighs and takes it out too. "Kobayashi!?" Yusuke looks at her for a moment. "I don't recall ever seeing this sophisticated costume before though..."

"Call it whatever you want. I don't care anymore" She said.

"What is this place?" Yusuke stands up and looks around.

"We're inside Madarame's heart" Said Ann

"Inside... Sensei's heart?" Yusuke ask. "I'm sorry, Takamaki-san... but are you sure you're feeling OK?"

"Great, now we have to explain everything. Couldn't you just have told him this was a dream? It was easier" Said Kagura.

"S-Sorry"

"She ain't lyin'. This is what that bastard truly feels. He's nothin' but a greed-filled money-grubber" Said Ryuji.

"Enough of this rubbish!" Yusuke yells

"Aren't you going to open your eyes for once!?" Kagura asks him. "This is real. Didn't you see it? He's been lying about the "Sayuri". We saw it!"

"So that's what at the other side of the door? The "Sayuri"?" I ask

"Yes, not only that, but copies of it too... A lot of them" Kagura explains.

"You may not want to believe it, but this is another reality as viewed through Madarame's eyes. This is his true nature" Ann explains

"This... repulsive world...?" Yusuke asks. "Just who are all of you!?"

"We'll explain that later" Said Kagura. "We need to leave now. If Yusuke stays here for too long, then the distortion might affect him. Besides, the security level is higher than expected..." While we walk away, I saw Kagura's hands shaking. Looks like i was the only one that notices that and makes me wonder... What happened in the real world?

* * *

 _ **Little by little is revealing Kagura's secret. I think with this most of you might have figured it out already XD Still, wait until it's finally revealed. You can make speculations if you want. Anyway, leave a review and tell me what do you think.**_


	21. Museum of Vanity

**_The whole chapter will be from Yusuke's POV. His awakening was pretty awesome, but I still think that Makoto's was way better. Enjoy it, I know all of you wanted this! Leave a review and don't forget to... Go to sleep (SHUT UP MORGANA!)  
_**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 20: Museum of Vanity_**

 **Yusuke's POV**

I was feeling sick. I'm trying to be rational about this, but my emotions are overwhelming me. Just a minute ago I was in Sensei's house, but now I am in a twisted place surrounded by people I barely know and Kobayashi as well. They all are wearing costumes and told me that this place is Sensei's heart and this is how he truly feels... I refuse to accept it as truth, I'm sure Sensei had a good reason to keep the "Sayuri" and lie to me. I'm sure of it... And even if all this was true, he took me in, he takes care of me all this time, all these years. My gratitude for that won't just disappear. They take me to the exit, or at least I think that. Kagura lead the way and they follow her, i had no other choice but to follow them as well. Just a moment ago, Kagura didn't want to talk to me about that scar, she avoids me and I think she's doing it now as well. I notice a change in her when we get her, not only her clothes change, but i feel like she put a barrier around her... Her mask doesn't let me see her expression, her emotions. It was like that mask not only hide how she's feeling, but also her whole self... Her identity. If Kagura didn't show me her face earlier, I would've thought that she was another person. Everyone's else masks only cover their eyes and half of their faces... Why is her's different? Not only that... Its twisted design makes me wonder... Does it have a meaning?

We go past a gallery full of paintings, when I saw the, I gasp. I recognize these people... They were Sensei's pupils. Those paintings were moving... Like they were alive, looking at me and smiling. How could this be? We get to a corridor and I stop in front of a girls painting. I know her... She was also one of Sensei's pupils, I used to talk with her a lot. She was a really nice person, always smiling, always worrying about me and the others... But one day she just leaves without saying a word... I never saw her again, I had her number but when I call her nobody answers it. After I only hear rumors about her... Some even say that she commit suicide... But I don't believe that.

"This painting...!" I said. Everyone stop and look at the painting with me. Kagura just looks at it from afar.

"Do you recognize her?" Ann ask me. "We were thinking these might be his past pupils or something..."

"But... Why are there paintings of them here?" I was confused. The "cat" that was with us talk to me. I start to question myself if this was even real, but it feels real. I was standing here, I feel a dangerous aura around me. I think this place is alive and see me as it's enemy...

"Technically, those aren't actually painting. They're the pupils themselves" Said the cat

"Madarame saw 'em as objects, so that's what they are in here... Oh, and uh... we found yours too" Said the blonde man. I didn't even know his name, i didn't ask his name when we first meet because i was so focused on Kagura... But... My painting... There's a painting of me in this repulsive place? It can't be...

"We'll talk later" Said Kagura. "Let's get out of here" She keeps walking, she didn't wait for any of us. We run after her and reach a big room with a giant golden statue in the middle. It was... weird, twisted, but also strangely beautiful. We run to the door, but security officers came out of the floor, they were wearing heart masks.

"The exit is right there!" Said the cat.

"What a pain in the ass!" Kagura was about to take her mask but didn't do it, we all heard a weird laugh behind us. We all turn around and saw Madarame-sensei wearing golden clothes... And his hair... He was almost like a Shogun. "Is that Madarame's Shadow?" Kagura ask. "He's wearing too much gold. Disgusting"

"Talk about bullshit clothes! First a king, now some kinda shogun!?" Said the blonde man.

" **Welcome to the Museum of the master artist Madarame...** " Said Sensei. His eyes were glowing golden.

"Sensei? Is that you?" I ask him. This can't be real! "That attire... This... This is all one big lie, isn't it...?"

" **My usual ragged attire is nothing but an act** " He said. " **Besides, a famous person living in that shack? I have another home... under a mistress's name, of course** "

"This is absurd!" Said the man wearing black

" **Hahaha! How naive!** " Sensei laugh like a crazy man.

"If the "Sayuri" was stolen, why was it in the storage room? And if you had the real one, why make copies!? If it's really you, Sensei... please tell me!" I demand an answer from him. An honest answer. I want the truth...

" **Foolish child. You still don't see? The painting being stolen was just a false rumor I spread! It was all a perfectly calculated staging!** "

"What do you mean!?"

" **Let me see... How does this sound? "I found the real painting, but it can't go public... You can have it for a special price, though..." Haha! How's that for preferential treatment!? Art snobs'll eat it up, and pay good cash at that!** " The man I adore as a father... He did this with his own work... Because of money...

"No..." I fall on my knees.

" **The worth of art is purely subjective... Thus, this is a legitimate business transaction! Though I doubt a brat like you would ever come up with such a brilliant scheme!** " He said.

"You keep goin' on and on about money this, money that... No wonder you ended up with this disgusting museum!" The blonde man said.

"You're supposed to be an artist, right!? Aren't you ashamed of plagiarizing other people's work!?" Ann yells at him.

" **Art is nothing but a tool... A tool to gain money and fame!** "

"That's not true" Kobayashi said. "If you think of art as a tool, then you are not a true artist. You've fallen victim of greed and use everything and everyone to get what you want"

" **Who cares what people like you think? You think you know about art, but I bet you can barely differentiate an original from a copy...** "

"God... Pissed me off... That's your teacher, Yusuke" The blond man said.

"But what about the people who believe in you? Who think you're a master artist!?" I ask.

" **I'll tell you this alone, Yusuke. If you wish to succeed in this world, I'd advise you don't rise against me. Do you believe anyone could find success with my objection holding them down? Hahahahaha!** "

"To think I was under the care of this wretched man...!" If this was really Sensei... Then I've been blind all these years... But not anymore.

" **You thought I took you in out of the goodness in my heart? Plucking talented, yet troubled artists allow me to find promising pupils and take their ideas. After all, it's much easier to steal the futures of children who can't fight back** "

"You are so full of shit!" Kobayashi screams at him. "I'll take you down right now... But we need you alive. Still, you have no right to do that to your pupils!"

" **Livestock are killed for their hide and meat! This is no different, you fool! But I tire of this little chat. It's time that i-** "

"You are unforgivable" I stand up. Right now I was feeling only rage. This is how Sensei truly is... How could I've been so blind? "It doesn't matter who you are... I won't forgive you!"

" **So... you repay my keeping you around for all these years with ingratitude? You damn brat! Men! Dispose of these thieves!** " He order and the security officers behind us were about to attack us, but they were launched against a wall and crushed to death until there was nothing left. I saw a creature floating above Kagura... A fox wearing a dress, Kagura looked at me.

"Are you going to let him get away with this shit!? Have you open your eyes yet!? If so, rebel against him!" She yells. "If not, then go to a corner and get out of my way" I saw a fire in her eyes... Anger, passion, determination... A lot of emotions were inside her and her eyes were clearly showing. I look at her, then at the creature on top of her. The fox looked at me and I couldn't help but smile. I feel something that I hadn't felt before...

"How amusing..." I said and laugh. "It seems the truth is stranger than fiction, hm...? I wanted to believe it wasn't true... I had clouded my vision for so long... My eyes were truly blind... Blind, and unable to see the true self behind this one horrible man!" I yell. "You, Madarame... Are a demon!" In that moment I felt like a big weight has been lifted from me. I felt lighter... more alive... Only for a pain to strike at my with full force followed by a man's voice that sound almost like me...

" ** _Have you finally come to your senses?_** " He asks me and the pain focused completely in my head. I feel like something was stabbing me from the inside, something was trying to take over... Something was trying to break my will. I grab my head in pain as the voice keeps talking to me. Looks like I was the only one that could hear it. " ** _How foolishly you averted your eyes from the truth... A deplorable imitation indeed... Best you part from that aspect of yourself!_** " I yell and fall to the ground. My hands were no longer grabbing my head, but scratching the floor. " ** _Let us now forge a contract..._** " I scratch the floor with all my strength and break my nails in the process. I saw the blood trail that my finger leave, I completely tore them apart. But the pain in my fingers is nothing compared to the pain in my head. " _ **I am Thou... Thou art I... The world is filled with both beauty and vice... It is time you teach people which is which!**_ " The pain immediately goes away as I look up and a white mask materializes in my face. I feel it attached to my skin. I feel the impulse to take it out, to rip it out, destroy it and let everything out. A name came to my mind... I knew what I need to do...

"Very well..." I said. I stand up, grab my mask and yell. "Come... Goemon!" I take my mask off and part of my face was ripped as well. In that moment I burst into blue flames and I feel completely changed now... Totally free... Above me, my Persona appear... Goemon. "A breathtaking sight..." I said I feel powerful with him on my side. I feel like I could do anything and nothing could get in my way. "Imitations they may be, but together, they make a fine spectacle. Though the flowers of evil blossom, be it known... Abominations are fated to perish!" I move my hand and feel the power going through me. Goemon move with me and the enemies before me were frozen to death and explode into little pieces. Madarame keeps standing in front of me, he was completely angry at this point seeing how I'm not his puppet anymore... His tool.

"Hmph... Who do you think you are!?" He yells at me. "The price for your insolence will be death! Where are my guard!? Kill them all!" More than ten guards appear in front of us and more behind us. Kagura steps in front of the door, looking at the enemies before her. I saw her smiling for a moment, but that smile disappears in the blink of an eye. "The children who adored you as "father"... The prospects of your pupils... How many did you trample upon...?" I ask, but Madarame on gives me a twisted smile. "How many dreams did you exchange for riches!? No matter what it takes... I will bring you to justice!"

"Let's see what you are made us, Yusuke" The man wearing black stand next to me. Ann did the same, the cat and the blonde man as well. Kagura stays in my back, protecting us from the enemies behind us. "Very well! Bring it on!" I smile and the guards transform into monsters. Eight flying tengus and one big man with a big hammer wearing a black apron and a mask.

"You are in the presence of Lord Madarame!" Said the man. "On your knees, intruders!"

"I learn much from you, Madarame. In order to see authenticity... one must be dispassionately realistic. With Goemon by my side... I can now ascertain your true self without any reservations! ... Goemon, strike!" Goemon attacked with grace to the flying tengus, he froze them and they fall to the ground, weakened by the attack.

"They are weak to ice!" Said the cat. "Joker, you have something to end this quickly!?" He asks the man wearing black.

"I have something..." Joker said and grab his mask. The mask set itself in flames and then return to normal. He rips it out. "Jack Frost! Ravage them!" He summons a little snowman. The snowman raises his hand and every single enemy before us has frozen to death, except for the big enemy, the was still standing. I order Goemon to attack again, this time he grabs his giant pipe and hit the enemy in the head, knocking him down. "They are down! Attack with everything you have" Said Joker, we jump at the enemies before us and attack them from every direction. Once we finish, they disintegrate and Madarame was watching everything from afar. We turn around and we saw that the enemies behind us were destroyed by Kagura. She kills them all without any help at all. I walk toward Madarame, but I suddenly feel weak, tired. I fall to my knees.

"Yusuke, you've just thrown your bright future down the drain. I'll destroy every chance you've ever had of becoming an artist!" He said and walk away from us.

"Madarame!" I yell.

"You'll forever rue the day you dared defy me" He left the room and I try to chase after him, but my legs give up on me.

"Get... back here...!" I yell

"Kitagawa-kun!" Ann was worried about me, just like the rest of the group...

"Why can't I move!?" I ask them.

"You are tired" Said Kagura. "You can't do anything now"

"What a disgrace I am!"

"C'mon, just listen to her. You are not the only one. It happens to all of us" Said the blonde man. "Come on, let's sit down for a moment" He helps me to walk and we sit down in the first seats we find. I sigh, I was drained, it was the first time in my life I feel this tired.

"You've known for quite some time, haven't you?" Ann ask me.

"I'm no fool... Strange people have been coming by for years, and the plagiarism was an everyday affair. But... who would want to admit that the man they owed their life to was doing such terrible things?" I explain.

"Why didn't you leave?" Joker ask me.

"Well, he is the one who painted the "Sayuri". On top of that, I owe him a great debt..."

"You mean 'cause he raised you?" The blonde man asks me.

"I... never knew my father... I was told my mother raised me by herself, but she died in an accident when I was three" Everyone looked away for a moment. "That's when Sensei took me in. I heard he helped my mother while she was still alive"

"Heard?" Ann ask.

"To be honest, I don't remember much about my mother either... Some randoms memories, I can't remember her clearly... I did everything I could for Sensei. I thought of him as a father... but he changed... To think he would treat the "Sayuri," the very foundation of his art, like that!"

"A lot's happened to you, huh?" Said the blonde man.

"When you had mentioned plagiarism... deep down I knew you were right. That's why I so vehemently denied you... I was simply running from the truth, I'm sorry" I apologise to them.

"Don't worry. I understand" Said Joker. "Sometimes we just want to deny something that deep down we know it's true... Just for the sake of others"

"... I'm grateful for the chance to face what I have been denying all this time"

"You're way too serious, man" Said the blonde man. "That's why you're always gettin' stuck in your own head. Look at me! I just go with the flow"

"And that leads you to troubles, Skull" Said Kagura to the blonde man, she calls him "Skull". "For example, I just kick you in the nuts the other day for not thinking before talking"

"I-I learn my lesson... But seriously, you are stronger than you look... But you're pretty weak in the Palace, Clown... You know, physical weakness" He smiles and Kagura get angry.

"You wanna fight!? I'm not scared to crush you!"

"Bring it!"

"Stop it you two!" Said Ann. "You're fighting like a couple"

"We're not a couple!" They both yell at the same time. Joker and Ann laugh, Ryuji joins them and Kagura only smile behind her mask.

"What are you going to do know?" The cat asks me and I seriously didn't have an answer for that... All this happened too quickly and I need to take my time to organize my thoughts

"I don't know" I said.

"We can't help the fact that Madarame's gone and changed. But we can change his heart. We'll make him pay for his crimes" Said Skull.

"What is this... "Change of heart" you're talking about?" I ask.

"Have you heard the rumors? The ones about the Phantom Thieves that steals hearts?" He asks me.

"I certainly had heard the rumors... But... Wait..." I look at them. "...!? Don't tell me... You are the Phantom Thieves!?" I ask and more enemies appear behind us.

"Oh, crap!" Said Skull. The guards float in the air and were launched again against a wall. Kagura summoned her Persona. She had her hand open toward the enemies, when she closes it, they were crushed by an unknown force and there was nothing left of them, they disintegrate.

"I suggest we talk outside" She said. "Come on, let's go" She walked away and leave us here.

"She's scary sometimes" Said the cat.

"No shit" Said Skull. "C'mon, let's get out of here" As we walk away from this place I look down at my clothes.

"... When did my clothes change...?" I ask and everyone shakes their heads

"You just notice that now!?" Skull ask me

After escaping from the "Palace". They take me to a little restaurant in Shibuya and explain everything about Personas, Shadows, Palaces and the Metaverse. Everything I needed to know, they told me everything, even the most absurd things. Simply put... Kagura started the Phantom Thieves four years ago, she then finds Morgana, the talking cat, in the Metaverse and after that, she stumbles with Akira, Ryuji and Ann. After stealing Suguru Kamoshida's heart, they decide to stick together and continuing changing people's heart.

The process was very simple, find the Treasure in the Palace, send a Calling card so the Treasure can be stolen, steal it, fight the Shadow and make it repent and get out. After that, the change of heart will happen in a period of one or two weeks, maybe even sooner. That depends of the person. It was easier to understand than i had expected. Ann and Morgana helped a lot so I could understand it. Kagura remain quiet for the most part, just like Akira and Ryuji was the one that keep talking. Still, i thinking i understand everything now...

"... I see" That's the first thing i say after hearing everything. "So, because you steal you PE teacher's Treasure, he had a change of heart... The Phantom Thieves who steal hearts... To think they truly exist"

"... You want an autograph?" Akira joked and i laugh a little.

"That won't be necesary... Well, i have no other choice to believe your words. Especially after seeing a world like that... So your plan with Madarame-sensei... With Madarame... is to force a change of heart, correct?" I ask Kagura.

"That's the plan. It's the same as always, it's not that hard once you get use to it" She said. I look at the table for a moment, i had made a decision, one that i will certainly not regret... I believe that what i'm about to do is the right thing to do...

"Let me join... as a member of the Phantom Thieves" I said and everyone looked at me, surprised. It was natural, they weren't expecting me to join them. "Had i faced reality sooner, this may have been avoided. I must put an end to this for the sake of the others whose futures as artists were robbed, as well. That... is the most civil thing i can do for the man who was... in some manner, my father"

"Civil, huh?" Said Ann.

"Sound fine to me. We're gonna deal with Madarame anyways, so i have no problem on you joining... What about you three?" Ryuji ask to Akira, Morgana and Kagura.

"He might have a mental shutdown if we screw up. We have ways to prevent that, but they aren't fail-safe" Said Morgana.

"Stop worrying about that, Morgana" Said Kagura.

"Madarame is a man who has the art world under his thumb. He has connections to many organizations. If someone like me raises my voice, it'll only be snubbed out... We have no option but this" I agree on this, even if we fail... I'll do everything i can for those who suffer because of him.

"It's settle then" Said Morgana. "I'm okay with Yusuke being in the team"

"Seconded" Said Akira and we all looked at Kagura. She sighs in defeat.

"Fine... We have a new member, i guess" She said with a tired

"I hope we get along Yusuke" Said Ann.

"You better not slow us down" Said Ryuji

"I'll do my best" I said

"Oh, and no nude paintings" Said Akira.

"Ugh! Don't remember me that! I was trying to forget it!" Kagura almost yell it.

"So that was all a plan? ... That's quite daring, Kobayashi-san... Considering you were shaking and sweating at some point... Not to mention that you admit to be scared"

"Ohhh... Our leader is too afraid of getting naked-" Said Ryuji and Kagura punch the table. "I'll shut up"

"Just for the record, Yusuke. It wasn't my idea, it was theirs!" Said Kagura.

"What else were we supposed to do!? It's his fault for goin' on and on about the nude modelin' thing!" Said Ryuji

"I haven't given up on that yet, though" I said and Kagura start shaking. "Don't worry, that scar you have won't be a problem"

"Scar?" Ann ask her.

"... You are lucky we are surrounded by people" She said and sighs. "Yes! I have a scar, just drop it!"

"But you were too nervous about it, and for the looks of it, looks like someone-"

"I said DROP IT! And the whole painting, give it up! I won't be part of that anymore" Kagura was really serious about this... Still, i will ask her some other time. Maybe i can calm her down if I get to know her better, if we get closer, then she'll agree on the painting.

"Well, we won't ask about it again, just calm down" Said Akira. Kagura hit her head against the table.

"Oh, that reminds me... I wonder what's going on with the real Madarame. Didn't you two were running from him?" Ann ask me and Kagura.

"Oh, right... I forgot about it. What happened?" Kagura ask me.

"Actually, I contacted him before we came here. He believes that i continued pursuing Kobayashi-san. And, just as you all explained, it appears he knows nothing about his Shadow" I explain.

"What did he say?" Kagura ask me.

"He was complaining to the security company how they couldn't catch one high school girl. However, he's still furious about it, and said that he's going to take legal action against everyone"

"Are you kidding me!? It can't get worse than this now..." Said Kagura.

"Talk about bein' completely on guard..." Said Ryuji

"He's really that desperated?" Akira ask

"Legal action... He's acting way too desperate. Maybe he still has more secrets" Said Ann

"If he were to act, it'd be after the exhibit is over. Any scandal during the show would be his loss" I said

"That make sense" Said Akira.

"We'll have to force a change of heart before then, if we're to dodge this "legal action" thing" Said Morgana. "Looks like our plan must be accomplished while the exhibit is still open!"

"... By the way... What's him?" I ask and point at Morgana.

"Huh? A cat" Said Ryuji.

"I know... But he's talking... That's not normal"

"You have a problem with that!?"

"No, not really"

"Why not!?" Ryuji ask me. "I would be freaking out"

"He's just on a different wavelength than other people" Said Ann

"Do you wish to draw me? You better bring out the best of me in that case" Said Morgana

"I still want to draw Kobayashi" I said.

"Ugh... You know what, i don't care anymore... I'm tired. So much stress for one day... And i'm not the kind of person that get that stressed out"

"I can see that" Said Ryuji. "You look a little pale too, no joke"

"Really? Shit... I think i'm done for today. I'll get back home" Kagura take out her wallet and leave money on the table. "Here's Fifteen thousand yen, order whatever you want... It's my way to say sorry about that kick, Ryuji"

"Woah, seriously!? Thanks, Senpai!" Said Ryuji.

"... I feel weird when you calm me senpai... Anyway, i have work tomorrow and saturday. I'm free on Sunday, so if you want you can go without me"

"No, it's okay. We can wait for you. Besides, with you we can get to the Treasure in an hour top" Said Ryuji.

"Is she that strong?" I ask

"Dude, are you blind? Did you see how she kill those Shadows? She's too OP"

"OP?"

"It means Overpowered" Said Akira


	22. Attacking the Museum

**_FUN FACT: AKECHI LOVE PANCAKES! (Now that I have your attention, I'll give you a truly fun fact XD)_**

 ** _Before I write all this, the story was a lot different, and I mean a lot. Long story short, Kagura was older than she is now, not only that, she works for Shido and she uses the Metaverse nav to search for Persona User to oppose Shido. It was a lot different, that is why I want to ask you all... Do you like that idea? I liked, but I feel that it couldn't have been that great :P Anyway, tell what do you think about that, I actually have that piece of story written in my computer. I might publish it as a one-shot if you want._**

 ** _Meanwhile, enjoy the chapter!_**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 21: Attacking the Museum_**

 ** _5/21 Saturday_**

 **Kagura's POV**

It was evening, I was ready to go back home after work, but Sojiro asks me again to wait for Akira. He has the key, there was no need for me to wait, but Sojiro didn't trust Akira that much and wanted me to ask him where he was, with who he was and what he was doing. So I did so, I stay for almost half an hour waiting for him to come back. I don't know what takes him that long to come back, I'm actually curious about it, I bet he find a job. If he did, he should tell me and Sojiro so I don't waste my time here waiting for him. Anyway, I use that time to do something productive. I grab my bag and take out a notebook. Lately, I've been working on something... A novel, sort of. I start writing where I left off and Akira came back minutes later. I close the notebook and put it back in my bag. He sighs and sits in one of the booths.

"I'm not making you Coffee" I said.

"I know, I'm just tired" He said. "Ryuji wanted to train and we end up going to the gym... He's going to break his leg if he keeps publishing himself too hard"

"Tell him that" I said and prepare to leave. "Do me a favor, tell me if you are going to come back later so I'll tell Sojiro. I don't want to waste time here waiting for you"

"Sorry about that... Tomorrow we are going to the Palace?"

"Yes, you better prepare, we're reaching the Treasure tomorrow"

"I see..." Akira stands up. "I saw your score the other day. Good job, first place" He said. I was surprised too, I beat Makoto, that's not something that happens every day. She came to me after that and congrats me, but also declare the war to me. She insists that she won't lose in the next exams. I bet she falls behind because the Principal is forcing her to look information about the Phantom Thieves and Kamoshida.

"Oh... Thank you. You didn't do it that bad too... You were above average, that's good" I saw his score too, not only his, but Ryuji's and Ann's. Ryuji was terrible, it hurt my eyes to see that score and Ann... She was below Akira... I'm starting to think that they don't care about study at all. At least Akira is trying to live his student life the best he can.

"Thanks, it was a little difficult"

"... You want some tips?" I ask and he nodded. "Read some books, spend some time with crossword puzzles, study in the school library, it'll help you concentrate"

"I see, i'll do that, thanks"

"... Your welcome. No then, it's time i leave. Don't forget about tomorrow" I said and get out of the Cafe. When I did, I notice that it was starting to rain. I take my bike and go back home. When i get back, Mom wasn't there, just like always. I take a shower and make the dinner. I eat some sushi that was in the fridge while I was watching the TV. Lately, i feel like my life was a never ending cycle of repeat. Get up, go to school, go to work, go back home, eat and go to sleep; then it repeats the next day, only with variations in the activities after school. It was boring... And it was more boring going to the Palace and kill Shadows. Just like Ryuji said, I was too powerful. I've been doing this for years so it's expected that I am in another level, but it's ridiculous... Not only that, my weakness is the worst thing I could have. I can stand a hit in the real world, but in the Metaverse was like my whole body was made of glass sometimes. I get hit, I'm out i can't keep going... It's a joke, a sick joke.

I look up at the wall where my TV was. I look at the pictures hanging on the walls, most of them were of me and my mother, the other was from places and one stood above them all... There was my mother with my grandparents when she was starting high school. My grandfather and my mother stop talking before she was pregnant, supposedly they got in a fight and she leaves. She doesn't want to talk about it, but she still has that photograph. I don't know what happened exactly, but for the looks of it, she misses him. I know where they live, but i never went there... I didn't want to show up and said "I'm your granddaughter" out of the blue and start asking questions. As time goes by, i start to discard that idea and just focus on my life. I have a lot of things going on right now, things that i need to do and i don't want to add more to the list. My time is limited lately. I turn off the TV and go back to my room after i wash the dishes. I take out my notebook and keep writing until late night, after that, i fall sleep on top of my notebook.

* * *

 _ **5/22 Sunday**_

I wake up earlier than usual because I feel something on my face. I was on top of my notebook, but not only that... A Butterfly was on my face, a blue butterfly. I get up from my bed and the butterfly flies away through the window. What was strange about it was that the insect was glowing. I look out the window and saw the butterfly going to Shibuya. For some reason, I feel like I know what it was... More likely, I knew who he was... Philemon. I get out of my room and made breakfast for me and my mother. I open the door to her room and find her in her bed, she was still sleeping. I had breakfast and leave the coffee for her in the table with two slices of toasted bread. I put on a red shirt with a black jacket on top and a long white skirt, a pair of black boots and went to Shibuya early. I was going there because if that was really Philemon, then this was my only chance to speak with him. I had so many questions right now and I need him to answer right now. I ended up in the Central Street and saw the blue butterfly near the bookstore, it flies away, right to a black alley that leads to the airsoft shop "Untouchable". I saw the butterfly on a corner, just flying there, waiting for something. I get closer to it and extend my hand. The little insect landed in my hand and disappear. In the blink of an eye, i saw a blue door in front of me, but it disappears.

"... Philemon?" I ask. "Is he... trying to contact me?" I look around, there was no one near. I walk to the corner, but there wasn't anything there. I was expecting an invisible door or something solid to hit me in the face, but nothing happens. "Something is going on here... If he's trying to reach me then... Something must be interfering...but what?" I thought about it for a moment, but nothing come to mind... The only thing I could think of was that the distortion in the Metaverse was the problem, maybe it was interfering in some way. I go back to the Central Street and decided to spend some time in the bookstore until the others came to the hideout.

It was already midday and we all gather in the hideout. We jump right at the Metaverse and head to Madarame's Palace. Yusuke join us and we explain to him how to use the Metaverse nav, looks like he had it too for some reason. Once we arrive at the Palace, Morgana stops us.

"Oh yeah. We haven't decided on the new recruit's code name yet" He said and Yusuke look confused.

"It has to be "Kitsune". You know, with that kitsune mask and everything" Said Ann.

"Hell yeah. That really leaves an impression" Said Ryuji.

"I don't know, it's a little long compared to the rest, don't you think?" I ask. "Besides, as a code name is not that good"

"Are you talking about me?" Yusuke ask me.

"Yes, we have code names because if we just say our real names in the Palaces it might have an effect on the ruler on the real world" I explain. "Mine is Clown, he's Joker, Skull, Panther and Mona... What do you want for a code name?" I ask him. Today I was feeling more cooperative than usual, but that doesn't mean I'm being that nice.

"I'd say "Da Vinci". That's an excellent code name" He said and I sighs

"It's... good, but..."

"No, it's not good" Said Ryuji. "Most of us had the code name because of our masks. You have that mask like Ann said... and there's that weird tail... All right, you're "Abura-age" from now on!"

"That's completely lame, Skull" I said.

"I agree, there's no way-" Said Akira, but Yusuke interrupt him

"Very well" Yusuke was completely fine with it

"He's agreed to it!?" Morgana ask.

"It's decided then: "Abura-age" it is!" Said Ryuji

"Seriously!? That's not happening! For god's sake...!" I said and look at Yusuke for a moment. "Fox... I think that's good enough"

"Ohhh, just keep it literal, huh? Sound good to me" Said Ryuji.

"I like it" Said Akira. "Simple and easy"

"What do you think, Fox?" Morgana asks him.

"It's acceptable" He was a little disappointed, i could tell.

"You wanted "Da Vinci", didn't you?" I ask and he nodded. "Anyway... We are going in now, are you all ready?" I ask and they all nodded. "I come up with a plan the other day, it will help a lot"

"What kind of plan?" Ann ask.

"As far as I could tell, this Palace is completely linear, unlike Kamoshida's Palace or the others i find, here there is only one way to follow... That is why I'll go first and take off of the enemies in front of me. You'll take care of the Shadow that tries to attack us from behind or the sides. If I fall in battle, which I don't think it will happen, Joker will take my place until I recover. What do you say?"

"It's good" Said Ryuji. "You can also just... crush them to death"

"I won't get all the fun, I'll let you finish them off" I said. "So you're agreed with it?"

"Sure, let's do it" Said Ryuji

"We got you back if you fall" Said Morgana.

"I'll do my best" Said Yusuke.

"We'll follow you, Leader" Said Akira.

"Well then, let's go" We enter the Palace together, we didn't find any enemies until we get past the doors that were closed in the courtyard. Once we step inside, a lot of Shadows were expecting us. Madarame knew we were coming back, he wasn't a fool. The Shadows transform and jump right at us. I smile and summon Kuma Lisa, I snap my fingers and the Shadows float in the air. I launch them against the ceiling and when they were failing I signal Joker and Skull to attack, they summon Arsene and Captain Kidd and destroy the Shadow in mid-air. Only a couple of them reach the floor safely and attack us. Ann summoned Carmen and set them on fire, turning them into ashes. It was a pretty good teamwork there. I help them to get experience and I don't get to use my Persona too much and get tired in the middle of the Palace. We repeat the same tactic in certain areas until we got to a big open room full of infrared lasers and Shadows walking around. I decided to kill them myself, i summon Kuma Lisa and decided to just make them exploded. A white circle appears in the Shadow's feets and with the snap of my fingers, they were crushed... As far as I know, every Persona can hold eight skills and after that, each one can use those skill however they want. Kuma Lisa has: Grydyne, Bufudyne, Garudyne, Freidyne, Psio, Maragion, Dodge Physical and Endure (I can withstand a fatal blow only once). My Persona is heavily magic based with only two passive skill that will save me if something goes wrong, but i still think that they are not good enough.

After all the Shadows in that room were dead, we find a dead end. All the corridors were either closed or covered with infrared lasers. We didn't know how to get past them without raising the security level. We stop for a moment to think of a way to pass. Ryuji lay on a giant painting on the wall and he falls inside it... Seriously, he falls inside the painting.

"Skull!" Ann yell.

"I'm okay... Dude, this is awesome!" Skull look at his right. "Hey... I think we can jump to the other painting and go to the second floor"

"Make sure you can do it first" I said. Ryuji runs to his right and indeed, he ends up in the other painting on the higher floor. He jumps out of the painting and smirk.

"Hey, i think i find a way to pass that metal curtain" He said. "There's a ventilation shaft here"

"If you can get through it, then we can go" I said. "Let's go, it's our only way for now" We jump to the painting and then follow Ryuji to the ventilation shaft. We ended up in a different room and looks like the control room was just ahead, but a Shadow was guarding the place. I walk to him.

" ** _W-Who are you!?_** " Ask me the Shadow. " ** _You are not allowed to be her-_** " I crush him and keep walking.

"I'm in a hurry. Sorry" I said and get in the control room.

"So this is the control room" Said Yusuke. "We can shut the security down" Akira went to the computer, but we couldn't do anything... It needs a password"

"A password... really?" Ryuji ask

"... Well, we should look around and-" I interrupt Morgana by stabbing the computer with my sword.

" _D-Disengaging secu-security p-p-protocol..._ " We saw the metal curtain going up and the infrared lasers from the other room shutting down. Morgana look at me, angry.

"There was no need for that" He said.

"I hate passwords. You have no idea how damn annoying were the other Palaces with their passwords and mazes. It was a pain in the ass. I bet we wouldn't find the password anyway"

"Well, looks like everything is open now, so it's a good thing at least" Said Ryuji. "Let's go" We keep moving and a large group of Shadows starts chasing us.

"Dammit! You keep going, I'll take care of them" I said. Everyone runs up ahead and i was left behind to deal with the Shadows. They were a large group, but nothing i couldn't handle. They were pretty predictable, just like before, they jump at me to attack, so i decided to toy with them a little. I froze them to death and they all became ice statues. I smile and walk away, but not before pushing a couple of them and breaking them in little pieces. I walk away slowly, taking my sweet time, then out of nowhere a Shadow attack me from behind with a strong physical attack. That launch me to the wall, my head hit the wall pretty hard and start bleeding from the back of my head. I saw the Shadow that attacks me, it looked like a big yellow gorilla with a snake tail, it was like a chimera. The Shadow raise his fist and was ready to hit me, move quickly to my left and avoid him. I was having a hard time to stand up. The Shadow attack me again, but this time with darkness. That didn't have any effect on me, Kuma Lisa was strong against darkness. I summon her and froze him, but that didn't work, i then attack with fire and he was knocked out. I take out my gun and point at his head, i pull the trigger and blow up his head. I took a big breath and keep going. I touch the back of my head and feel the blood coming out. I took some medicine and that stop the bleeding right away. Slowly, but surely the wound start to close up and i was feeling better... But I was still sore in some parts of my body. I get to a room full of paintings, i saw Akira and the rest on the other side of the room, looks like they had to jump through the painting to get there.

"Clown!" Said Ryuji. "You have to go through the paintings!" I didn't want to waste time, so i use Kuma Lisa instead. I float and went straight to where they were. "... Showoff" He said.

"Thank you" I said. "Let's go" We keep going and get to one of the weirdest places I've seen so far. We got to some sort of labyrinth made of gold. We saw rooms upside down, stairs going nowhere, random doors floating in big pieces of floor, nothing make sense in this room... The place was completely distorted, that means the Treasure was near.

"Shit... What the hell is up with this place!?" Ryuji ask.

"There's so much gold! It's hurting my eyes..." Ann said.

"The distortion is especially bad here... It's barely holding up" Morgana said.

"Let's find a way out of here" I said and we get moving again. We get past through multiple doors and they all lead to a different place or at the same exact place we were before. In the end, we had to follow the paths that had the "True Sayuri" There were a lot of replicas in there. We find the path and find the Treasure... Madarame was guarding it alongside with multiple guards. We find a control room near the room where the Treasure was and we find the controls to a crane right on top of the treasure. After that, we start making a plan to get the Treasure. We couldn't cut down the power and the infrared lasers surrounding the Treasure, but we could turn off the light long enough so one of us get down with the crane and grab the Treasure. It was like we were true thieves about to steal a museum. We make sure that everything was in position so the next day we can carry on the operation. We get out of the Palace and regroup in Shibuya. It was still sunny outside, it was around 4:30, we get to the Treasure quite fast.

"We found the Treasure and make a plan. We can now take him down, yes?" Yusuke ask me.

"Madarame is going to be a changed man after this. There won't be any way to revert it though. Are you sure you're OK with that?" Morgana asks Yusuke.

"I have thought it over carefully, and i cannot think of a future in which he does not pay his dues" Yusuke said. "He has preyed not only on the art world, but on countless talents... so i humbly request your help" He said.

"And we accept" Akira said.

"I apologize for making you do this" Yusuke said.

"Not at all. We just didn't want to impose if you weren't feeling up to it, Yusuke. But if you're already determined to do it, then there's nothing more for us to say" Ann said.

"If I recall, our next step is sending a "calling card" correct? What a suave maneuver"

"It's not about acting cool, Yusuke" I said. "The calling card is a way to trigger a change in his cognition" I explain.

"A change in cognition... That reminds me, you went through some trouble regarding that before, didn't you? About that door, you said it was closed"

"Well, it has to do with that... A Palace, and the Metaverse as a whole is a cognitive world. So changing its ruler's cognition changes the place" I explain

"I see... Actually, may I ask a truly basic question? You continue to mention cognition quite readily... But why does this world formed from materialized cognitions even exist, to begin with?" Yusuke ask me and every else also start to wonder that. "Don't tell me... Has it always existed, while we go about our daily lives completely oblivious?"

"... Well, i don't know how to answer that" I knew the answer. Philemon told me that the Metaverse originates four years ago, almost at the same time i enter it. "If it existed for four years, then i guess it existed for years... Who knows? Maybe people create it without even knowing it"

"It's kinda weird thinkin' there might be whole worlds we just don't know a damn thing about..." Ryuji said.

"Anyway, let's focus here" I said. "We need to send him a calling card so his Treasure can be materialized and steal it"

"Will he take it seriously, though?" Yusuke ask. "He is famous, after all... He has often received slanderous letter till now, as well"

"He'll know best whether the crime written on it is for real or not" Ryuji said.

"Wait. Are you going to write it again, Ryuji? That last one was questionable at best..." Morgana said

"I agree... Sorry, but I'll do it..." I then look at Yusuke and think for a moment. "Maybe... Yusuke, you should do it. I want the calling card to have a really nice touch"

"No. It'll end with him figuring it out. He knows my drawing and writing styles all too well" He said.

"How about I give you the text and the logo design?" I ask. "Your logo was not that good Ryuji, but i think we can make it better.. Much better and cooler"

"Sure, go for it" Ryuji said. "But I'll write the next one!"

"Yeah, yeah..." I said.

"Designing a calling card, hm... Interesting. It shall become proof that the Phantom Thieves do exist" Yusuke said

"It's decided then" Akira said

"Great! All that's left is to make the Treasure ours!" Morgana said. "Make sure to come fully prepared tomorrow" He said and we all part ways. Yusuke stays with me.

"So, Kagura. We should speak about the calling card" Yusuke said to me. "Where should we talk about?"

"We can't talk here, too much people, besides, i need paper so we can discuss the logo design..." I sigh and scratch my head. "I really don't want to... but come with me" I guide Yusuke to my house. No one will bother us there and Mom was working so no one will hear us. We enter and sit in the table to discuss the design, what the card was going to say and the little details. Yusuke comes up with a pretty good logo for the group, I was really surprised. We keep talking about the details of the calling card and when we were putting everything together, Yusuke asks me a question...

"So... Your apartment is really nice. It's small, but with enough space. You live with your parents?" He asks.

"... Only my mother" I answer.

"What about your father?" I didn't answer that right away. I was expecting this kind of questions when i bring him here, but it was a better place than a restaurant or anywhere outside where anyone could hear us talking about the Phantom Thieves, the calling card and the logo that it might be shown at some point in the news if everything goes as planned.

"He never showed up... Mom raises me alone" I said.

"I see..." There was an awkward silence before Yusuke ask something else. "Does she talk about him?"

"No... She doesn't want to and frankly, i don't want to know" I said.

"Why not?"

"Let's see... He most be an asshole if he just never was around... It pissed me off every time i think about it"

"Then I'll stop asking about him"

"Thank you..."

"... What'll say your mother if I tell her that I want to paint you nude?" When he asked me that, the pencil I had in my hand broken in half.

"E-E-Excuse me!?"

"If I want to paint you, then I should ask your mother if she agrees to it"

"She WON'T agree to it!" I yell. "Are you insane!?"

"Are you sure? I meet her in the exhibit and she seems like a pretty compressive person" My eyes widen when he says that... He meet my mother when I wasn't looking...

"You talk to my mother...? How!?"

"When you left the exhibit, I stumble with and I thought for a moment she was you... We end up talking, she's a really nice woman. I even told her I was planning on painting you, of course, I didn't tell her what kind of painting I had in mind"

"... She didn't tell me that... Oh my god..."

"I suggest you speak with her when you get the chance and talk about the painting"

"That painting is not going to happen! Give it up already!" We keep talking and working on the calling card at the same time. I didn't like Yusuke at all, he's completely annoying and i did my best to not punching in his face. After we were done, I make copies of the calling card and call Akira. I need Morgana to deliver the calling card this time. We'll do the same we did in school, but Morgana will do it.

* * *

 _ **5/23 Monday**_

Before I go to school I want to the Cafe and wait for Akira to come out, then we went straight to the exhibit and leave a bag with the calling cards in an alley. We needed Morgana to deliver all the calling card in the exhibits, so when we get out of school we could go right at his Palace. We leave Morgana with the calling cards and leaves, right after school we went straight to the exhibit and watch if Madarame had received one of the calling cards. He looked normal, not only that, he was talking to people. Me and Yusuke get closer to him and wait... Then one of the Exhibit Staff arrives with the calling card on his hands. We heard the conversation closely.

"Pardon me, sir" He said. "There's a matter we need to notify you about..."

"Please, excuse me for a moment" Madarame said and he walks away with the staff. We get closer to them and hear them talk. "What is it...?"

"We found this outside... And inside the exhibit... Behind the paintings... almost everywhere. We manage to get them all before opening, but I think you should see it"

"A letter?" Madarame ask.

"It's... uh..." The Exhibit Staff give him the card and Madarame read it, not out loud, but loud enough so we could hear him.

" ** _Sir Ichiryusai Madarame, a great sinner of vanity whose talent has been exhausted. You are an artist who uses his authority to shamelessly steal the ideas of his pupils. We have decided to make you confess all your crimes with your own mouth. We will take your distorted desires without fail... From The Phantom Thieves_** " As soon he finishes read it, he tore the card to pieces.

"Now that's new" I said. "People don't usual torn it apart... He must be really angry" I smile.

"Whose doing is this...!?" He yells.

"We don't know! The same letter has been posted everywhere..." He said.

"What about the security cameras!?" Madarame ask

"There were no signs of the culprit... All we saw was a cat in the recordings..."

"Get rid of them at once!" Madarame yell

"Of course... Um..."

"... What now!?"

"It's about this affecting the exhibit... We believe it's just a prank, but what about the mass media?"

"Are you insinuating that this slander is true?"

"Of course not!" Then everything distorted again in front of us. Yusuke was surprised about this, it was his first time seeing this. Madarame's Shadow appears in front of us.

" **It's those damn brats' doing, isn't it!?" He asks. "Well, it means nothing... They'll only be able to do as they please until this exhibit is over...** " Everything went back to normal and we go back with the rest.

"Will that do, Kagura?" Yusuke ask me.

"It was excellent. I never expect that the calling card looked that cooler. It did its job perfectly" I said.

"The Treasure should appear right about now" Morgana said.

"You better enjoy the air of freedom while you still can, old man" Ryuji said. "Anyway, d'you guys check online? People are already talkin' about that callin' card. Someone took a picture before it was taken down and everyone is loosin' their minds! We'll show 'em... We're gonna surprise 'em all!"

"I'm sure you know, but we only get one shot to pull this off!" Morgana said

"Let's do this" Akira said. "I'm ready"

"Me too. You have no reservations about this either, right, Yusuke?" Morgana ask.

"Of course not... We'll do this" Yusuke said.

"All right then, let's get going" I said. "We are going to steal an art museum!"


	23. The Fall of the Master Artist

_**Chapter 22: The Fall of the Master Artist**_

 **Kagura's POV**

We jump right at Madarame's Palace and literally run right to the Treasure room. The Security level was so high that every corner was full of Shadows on high alert. Any sound they hear makes them go into battle. We decided to simply ignore them and go right for the Treasure. Some Battles were unavoidables, but with me on the team, everything was as easy as ever. We get past the courtyard and the security got harder and harder to get pass through. Some infrared lasers were back on, but not all of them so or route was more limited now. I was in the front, killing any Shadow that dares to cross us now, and Joker was in the back watching our backs. We finally get to the Treasure Room and start the operation. Ryuji and Ann went to the control room and prepared to turn off the lights. Me, Akira, Yusuke and Morgana went to the crane and prepare. I tie Morgana to the crane and Joker next to the lever. Once the lights were off, he needs to pull it down so Morgana can get the Treasure. Me and Yusuke make sure the rope was tied up correctly so Morgana won't end up falling with the Treasure. I signal Ann who was in the control room and she turns off the lights, Yusuke gives the signal to Joker and he pulls down the lever. Morgana go down and grab the Treasure, as soon he had it, the crane goes up again and the lights were on again. I could hear Madarame yelling and asking where the Treasure was. Morgana gets up with the Treasure in his hands. Looks like it was a painting wrapped in a white cloth. The rest of the team came back with us and I take the Treasure.

"All right. We're done. Let's get out of here" I said.

"But where?" Ann ask. I look around and saw a window.

"There!" I point at the window and run toward it. We ended up on the roof of the museum. We start to get down thanks to the building structure. We get to the courtyard, we were almost there, but we couldn't just leave just like that. We need to deal with the Shadow. I was about to say something, but Morgana jumps at me and tries to grab the Treasure.

"Mona! Stop it!" I said. "What's wrong with you!?"

"Mrrrr... Meowww... T-Treasure..." He said and try to take away from me.

"Can you just stop until we are over!? You're starting to piss me off!"

"Dude... Why's Mona gettin' excited now of all times!?" Ryuji said.

"It was to be the Treasure!" I said. "Let go of it!"

"I just can't take it anymore! Let's take a look at this Treasure!" Morgana takes the Treasure from my hands and places it on the floor. He takes out the white cloth and places his paws in the painting.

"Treasure!" He yells. When I saw the Treasure, I knew something wasn't right. It wasn't a painting, it was just a fake. A white canvas with some scribble that looked like a face. "Hrm!?"

"THIS is the Treasure!?" Ryuji ask.

"No, it isn't! He just messes with us! It's a fake! He isn't as stupid as I thought" I said. The electric fences were about to active again. I grab Ryuji's shoulder and push him away while I say "Get back!" We all dodge them just in time. Then Madarame talks to us with his guards. He had the real Treasure with him.

" **Meddlesome vermin** " He said. "Is this what you're looking for?" He points at the Treasure.

"What nonsense that you used a mousetrap on me!" Morgana said.

"And you fall for it, Mona!" I said

"So you had a fake prepped, huh!?" Ryuji ask

" **Counterfeits are accepted in the world of Japanese art,** " Madarame said with a smirk

"What made you change like this!? Is it because you became famous!?" Yusuke asks Madarame. "Can't you understand how much it pains me to inquire about the crimes of my foster father!?"

" **... Now that I think back, the only reason why I took you in was due to my ties with your mother** " Madarame said. " **That woman never lost her passion for painting even after her husband died. Her skills and talents were quite astonishing... That's why I decided to look after her. Your mother and the artwork she created... They're all MY works of art!** "

"Can you shut up!?" I ask. "Every single thing that comes out of your mouth is disgusting! How low can you sink?"

" **I suppose I can grant you a gift before you die... a glimpse of the genuine "Sayuri"...!** "

"Genuine?" Yusuke ask. The Shadow that was holding the painting show it to us. It was the "Sayuri" but instead of the fog... There was a baby in the woman's arms.

"That's the real "Sayuri"...? Then... Isn't it even your work? Who...?" I look at Yusuke, his eyes were wide open like he just realized something. "Fox...?"

"I remember it now... I saw it before... Mom... She had it... This can't be..." He said and then I look at Madarame. I start hating Madarame more, not because of Yusuke, but because his Treasure turns out to be the painting of someone else... The painting that makes him famous... It was stolen, he was never a Master Artist, he was just a thief...

" **Indeed it is. This was painted by your mother. It's a portrait of herself** " He said. " **A woman who knew her death was coming painted her last wishes for the son she would leave behind. That is the truth behind the mystery of "Sayuri"'s expression!** " Madarame was absolutely proud of the painting that it wasn't even his. He just changes it and presents it under his name...

"You stole something THAT personal...!?" Ryuji yell. "You can't be serious!"

" **I knew at first glance... I knew it'd be a huge success if I added a touch to the painting and announced it under my name!** "

"But the baby in the picture... Why did you paint over it?" Yusuke asks with sadness in his voice.

" **It was all to stage it. If the baby is erased, the reason for the woman's expression will become a mystery! That's what the general public is drawn to! Each of those parasitic critics wrote the same thing!** "

"I always felt something was off about all this... Now I know what it is" Ann said. "If you really treasured that painting, you wouldn't even think about replicating it for profit! You don't love art at all!"

"Though you have a real Treasure, your true skills are nothing more that those scribbles on that fake!" Morgana said.

"It makes me laugh, asshole!" Ryuji yells

" **So you'll defy me no matter what... Well then, since you're my work of art, Yusuke. I'm going to reap you for the sake of my future. Along with those insolent friends of yours there** "

"I can't believe you're treating both mother and son like they're objects... You're inhuman!" Ann yell. Seeing Madarame makes me remember all those people I stole their treasure, each one of them was exactly like him, except for one... Only one of those Shadows I fight makes me realize that Palaces can form from the most unexpected people... I shake my head and prepare to fight Madarame, but I turn to see Yusuke, he was still looking at the floor. Trying to get a hold of himself, trying to not break down right there. He looks up and saw Madarame right in the eyes.

"I've heard that you destroy your "art" once they outlive their usefulness..." He said. I knew where he was getting at and I wasn't going to like what was coming next. "Did that include my mother as well?" He asks and Madarame just smiles like a crazy person.

" **She just happened to have a seizure in front of me. That's when a thought crossed my mind... If I don't call for help and leave her be, I could obtain her painting without any strings attached** "

"You... Let her die!?" I ask. "How could you do such a thing!? You should be ashamed of yourself, asshole!"

" **She was physically weak. No one would doubt if she just dropped dead because of a seizure. Above all, Yusuke, didn't you think it was odd that I discover your talent when you were only three? The reason why I kept you around was to keep you from realizing the truth behind "Sayuri" That's only re-** " I take out my gun and shoot both of the Shadows that were with him and point at him.

"Clown!" Akira yell.

"... The fact that you let her die like that makes me sick... Leaving Yusuke without her mother... Ruining your pupil's life all because of your success... You have no right... You kill an innocent woman... A loving mother... Give me a good reason to not pull the trigger and end this right here, right now!" I was taking this on almost a personal level when I shouldn't. I was letting my emotions getting the best of me. I saw people worst than him, but for some reason, he was pissing me off the most...

" **Why are you getting all sentimental for...? Oh, I know why... You only have one parent, aren't you? I saw her in the exhibit with you... Losing one hurts, but losing both... I bet you are scared to even think about losing the only family you have left... And hearing about Yusuke's mother it's making you lose your temper... That's why you let your guard down...** "

"Huh...?" A Shadow came out of the floor and was about to hit me right in the face, but Yusuke kills the Shadow before it even touches me.

"I thank you, Madarame..." Yusuke walks and stops next to me. "Every reason for me to forgive you has disappeared without a trace at this very moment! You aren't some rotten artist... You're a despicable fiend who wears the skin of an artist!" Yusuke yells.

" **All you good-for-nothings...! Barging into my museum and doing whatever the hell you want...** " Everything around Madarame starts to distort, he was about to transform. Me and Yusuke jump back. " **Those who have the connections make the rules; those who don't, follow them. Not to mention, the value of art is all subjective! I make the rules in the art scene! I am the supreme being! I am the God of the Art World!** " Madarame turns completely black while he was laughing like a maniac and explode. The black liquid takes the shape of four paintings, two eyes, one nose and one mouth. " **I'll paint all over you!** "

"You used others for your own despicable desires, Madarame! You aren't even worth the art you "create"! Yusuke yells

"I'll end you right here, right now!" I yell. "Kuma Lisa! Freidyne!" Kuma Lisa creates a white sphere in her hands and throws it at him. It explodes, but surprisingly enough... He absorbs it, at least his eyes and nose, the mouth didn't fall, but receive a lot of damage. "Are you kidding me!?"

"Carmen! Maragi!" Ann summons Carmen and attacks him with fire, again, the eyes and nose absorb the magic, but the mouth didn't. We were starting to see the pattern here. The nose sniff and cure the mouth. The mouth them turn to me and throw up black paint at me. It covers me completely and i start to feel weak.

"Clown! What's wrong!?" Morgana ask me.

"I don't... know..." I said. The eyes attack me with ice and I was knocked out.

"Clown!" Akira yell. "That paint! It doing something! Skull, physical attacks, now!"

"Roger! Captain Kidd! Rampage!" Ryuji summons his Persona and the eyes and nose were hit multiple times and fall to the ground. Morgana summons Zorro and try to cure me, but the black paint didn't go away. I try to get to my mask, but I feel my hand really heavy, I was really tired. While everyone was fighting, Morgana helps me to get up.

"Can you fight?" He asks me.

"I don't know... This has to wear off..." I saw the paint in my hand slowly going away then saw the battle. The mouth resurrects the eyes and the nose before falling to the ground. As soon the nose goes back up, it resurrects the mouth.

"Are you shittin' me!?" Ryuji ask. "We can't keep going like this!"

"There drain physicals and magic skills... But can they do something against Gravity?" I ask and all the paint attached to me wear off. I stand up and summon Kuma Lisa again.

"Grydyne!" I point at the Mouth and crush it again the floor, killing it instantly. Then I point at the rest of the painting. "Gravity Shift!" I put them down so they won't move at all. "Skull! Hit them!"

"Rampage!" Ryuji summons Captain Kidd again and destroys the rest of the painting. They all fall to the ground and dissolve into black liquid, from it Madarame came out again and we surround him. All our weapons pointing at him.

" **Dammit... I'm the great Madarame... The Madarame who gathers a full crowd every time he opens an exhibit! I'm not someone that worthless brats like you are allowed to defy!** " Madarame yells at us.

"Shut the fuck up! You are ours now!" I said.

"You still have the nerve to say such things!?" Yusuke ask. "You will fully taste the wrath of those who were preyed upon by you!" We jump back and attack him with everything we got. We attack from every single direction we could and Madarame was defenseless again us. He saw Yusuke and grab him by the throat and push him against the ground.

" **You're done for, YUSUKE!** " He said and I punch Madarame right in the face and send him backward.

"No! You are done for" I said. Madarame stands up and tries to transform again. "Stop him before he transforms again!" Akira jumps and summons a new Persona.

"Shiisa! Skull Cracker!" He summons a small Persona resembling a dog and a giant iron fall on top of Madarame knocking him down and stopping him before he transforms.

"Good job, Joker!" I said and we surround him again. "This is it, Madarame!"

" **Dammit... Dammit... Stop it, you brats, or else...!** "

"Or else what? Are you gonna lecture us?" Akira ask

"You think we'll be daunted by such threats!?" We jump back and attack again. This time we hit even harder than before. Madarame scream in pain and Yusuke was about to deal the final blow with his katana. Madarame cover himself and wait for him to finish him off, but the katana was just a centimeter from his throat. Madarame falls back, "Sayuri" was behind him. He grabs it and uses it to protect himself. Yusuke walk to him and Madarame crawl away from him, scared of what he might do to him.

" **No one cares for true art... All they want are easily recognizable brands! I'm a victim in this too! Wouldn't you agree!?** " Madarame tries to talk his way out of this, but it was too late for him now.

"Excuses now?" Ryuji ask.

"He doesn't want his Palace to crumble, he doesn't want to repent," I said. "But he will..."

" **The art world revolves around money after all... You can't rise without any money... Yusuke, you understand, don't you!? Being a poor artist is truly miserable! I just didn't want to return to that life!** " Yusuke grabs Madarame's collar.

"A fiend like you has no right to speak about the world of art! You're done for, along with this abominous world!" Yusuke said.

" **No, please! Just... don't kill me...!** " Yusuke pushes him against the floor.

"Return to yourself in reality and confess your crimes... all of them!" Yusuke yells

" **Y-You're not going to kill me...?** "

"Swear it!"

" **All right... All right! I swear it!** " Madarame looks at us and starts to get more nervous. " **Wh-What about the other one though? The one with the black mask?** " When he said black mask my eyes widen... He was here... More importantly... He's still alive... I walk to Madarame and grab him by the collar.

"Describe it to me! He had a black mask, fine... He was wearing a black and purple striped outfit?" I ask him.

" **Do you... Know him?** " He asks me and I let go of him.

"It can't be... He was really here...?" I said.

"Black mask? Black and purple striped outfit? Who are you talking about, Clown?" Morgana ask me. I look at them with a little of fear in my eyes.

"Another Persona-User..." I said and the Palace start to fall apart.

"We'll talk later. We need to get out of here now!" Ryuji yell. Morgana transforms into a car and we all get in, except for Yusuke who was talking with Madarame.

" **...Yusuke... What should I do?** " Madarame ask

"Put an end to all this and use your own artwork for once" Yusuke walk away with the Treasure in his hands.

" **No, wait! Please! Yusuke! Yusukeee!** " We leave Madarame behind and get out of the Palace as quickly as possible once we get out, we saw the Museum falling apart completely and the area surrounding the museum start to disappear as well. We get out of the Metaverse and ended up outside Madarame's shack. Once we get out, the Metaverse Navigator told us that the Palace has completely vanished. We leave the place and head to our hideout. On our way there, I couldn't stop thinking about what Madarame said... That Persona-User was still around... The last time I saw him wasn't exactly a nice encounter. The first time I encounter him, he tried to kill me without saying a single word, I escape and shortly after that I find him quite often every time I get in a Palace... It was inevitable that at some point we had to fight, even if I didn't want to... We arrive at the hideout and Yusuke couldn't look away from "Sayuri".

"I guess the mission was a success. All that's left is to see if he had a change of heart or not" Ryuji said.

"I'm sure he will..." I said.

"The "Sayuri"..." Yusuke keeps looking at the painting.

"You're not gonna get all teary-eyed and say stuff like "Mom!" are you?"

"Don't be a dick, Ryuji" I said. "Let him have a moment at least..."

"You got really mad when Madarame says all that stuff too, Kagura. Why?" Ryuji asks me.

"That's... I have no reason to tell you that" I keep quiet.

"C'mon, you can say it"

"... Let's just say that it pissed me off what he did. Letting someone die is as despicable as killing someone. Not only that, he took the credit for the painting and lie to Yusuke all his life... I was ready to put a bullet in his skull"

"No shit, I wanted to beat him too, but you let your emotion control you sometimes, did you realize that?" Ryuji asks me.

"... Whatever" I cross my arms.

"To think... that this painting was the source of Madarame's distorted desires, " Yusuke said. "The only saving grace is that my mother won't know what transpired..."

"The genuine painting at his atelier has been altered, after all... Ironic as it may be, this one here is her true self-portrait now" Morgana said.

"It's a wonderful painting" Ann said. "And... although it took some time, it's in your hands now, Yusuke"

"... I'm thankful for it" Yusuke smile. I couldn't help but smile as well... I hide it after a second though. "However, it's impossible for this painting to be acknowledged by society anymore"

"Was Sayuri your mother's name?" Akira ask.

"No. I doubt it's the name of any woman in particular. I bet it was to make it more mysterious... just a part of Madarame's foolish staging" Yusuke answers

"Well, it would've been obvious that he plagiarized it if he had used the real name" Morgana said.

"So... this is my mother... There's no way that I would remember her face clearly... But I was right about the rush of emotion I felt when I saw this painting" Yusuke look at us. "So, what now?"

"We'll wait until the change of heart happens. After that we'll keep targeting people like Madarame" I said.

"Why do you do such things?" He asks and I ask quickly.

"To make the world less of an awful place to live. To give people hope... To help them... You name it" I said.

"It's to get back at scumbags and like... society in general?" Ryuji said.

"... I think my explanation was better, Ryuji"

"You didn't let me finish... We also wanna give courage to the people that are sufferin' 'cause of selfish adults"

"That's better" I said

"Courage, hm... What good does that do?" Yusuke ask. "You mean the courage to stand up for themselves, correct? Will acquiring that make them happy?"

"I know my mother is happy about it... I start this for her in the first place" I said. "As long she's happy, I'm happy"

"So you do it for her, huh?" Ryuji ask. "Still, there's not knowing what the others think. We have to keep trying and help everyone"

"In other words, it all depends on the person, hm?" Yusuke ask. "Then the same can be said about myself right now. I also suffered because of an adult's selfish act. Moreover, if we investigate these Palaces, it may expand my artistic repertoire"

"... At least he's not talking about painting me nude" I whisper to Akira.

"I still didn't give up on that, Kagura" Yusuke said and I yell at him

"Oh come on! Are you serious!? And I wasn't even speaking that loud!"

"You really only think about art, huh? You're impressive" Ryuji said.

"Well, I won't take part in any inelegant plans, all right?"

"No worries! I've got us covered!" Ann said with enthusiasm

"You...?" Me, Akira and Ryuji ask.

"Plus, we have a rule that says we always have to decide on a target unanimously" Ann explain to Yusuke

"How about it, Kagura?" Morgana ask me. "Would you let Yusuke join? We can give our calling cards a lot more oomph if we have Yusuke on our team" I sigh, I didn't want to because I know for a fact that he won't stop asking about the nude painting, but everyone else wants him on the team so... I'm in disadvantage here.

"... Fine... I know Ann is fine with it, Ryuji too... What about you?" I ask Akira

"He would make a great member" Akira said.

"Then I guess it's decided..." I said.

"I will try and live to your expectations, Clown" He said.

"... Don't call me Clown here... It makes me feel weird"

"At any rate, I'm curious... Another intruder besides us, huh?" Morgana said. "You know him, don't you, Kagura?" Everyone look at me and wait for me to answer.

"Well... I don't know his name actually, but he's dangerous. There's no doubt about it" I said.

"Are you sure?" Ryuji ask. "I'm sure he's just friendly"

"... He shoots me in the chest, Sakamoto. I wouldn't call him friendly. He wanted me dead" I said and everyone's expression change. "If we found him... You better prepare yourself. I don't know what he wants or what he's trying to accomplish, but I bet it's nothing good... I'm more surprised to heard of him again"

"Why is that?" Ann ask me.

"We fight inside a Palace a year ago... The Palace was an abyss... Literally an Abyss. He fights me on the edge of the Palace and didn't hold back at all... I end up kicking him off the edge and he falls... I saw him falling into the abyss and never saw him again"

"You kill him...?" Ryuji ask

"I thought I did... I didn't want to kill him though... When I get to the bottom I didn't find him, only a piece of his mask... After that, I didn't saw him again. I assume he was either dead or just decided to stop chasing me after that fight"

"He never said a word?" Akira ask.

"Only once... When he shoot me..."

"What did he say?" Ann ask.

"He said... " _You are in his way_ " and then attacked me..."

"If he did come back, then we should be careful from now on. We don't know what he wants and if he saw us, then it's most likely that he'll attack us" Morgana said. "Let's stop, for now, we can talk about it later"

"Let's exchange our contact info with Yusuke then. Now that he's on the team, he needs to be in the group chat" Ann said. We all take out our phones and exchanges numbers.

"An artist and a Phantom Thief... It seems I'll be engaging in two trades from here on... Very well. You only live once, after all" Yusuke said. "Still, the incident about this intruder does concern me a lot now... If he's been fighting Kagura before, that means he's someone with experience in combat and maybe... A really strong Persona..."

"He was strong..." I said. "Anyway, let's keep talking about this later. Now it's time we part ways"

"Very well, I'll see you all later then" Yusuke bow and leave.

"I'll go back home for now too. See ya" Ryuji leave.

"Take care, see you tomorrow at school" Ann leave and I was left with Akira and Morgana.

"We'll take the same train, Akira. Let's go" I said and we get on the subway. When we get to Yongen-Jaya I take Akira to the Cafe and then I went to my house that was outside Yongen. I used to live in Yongen, but I move to an apartment with my mom when we couldn't keep paying the house. On my way to the building, I stop in the middle of the street and turn around. There was no one behind me... I had a feeling that someone was following me... No, it wasn't a feeling... Someone was following me...


	24. The Jester, The Fool and The Stalker

**_This one is a little short. This is more like a confidant chapter. So you can skip it if you want, but I think it was really funny XD I recommend you to read it_**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 23: The Jester, The_ _Fool_ _and The Stalker_**

 ** _5/24 Tuesday_**

 **Makoto's POV**

Today I had an objective and one objective only... Akira Kurusu. Lately, I've been asking around to some students and all of them told me the same thing about him. He hangs out with Ryuji Sakamoto, Ann Takamaki and Kagura Kobayashi. I can see why with Kagura considering they see each other after school in that Cafe she works in and from time to time they might to talk about some things, but I have the feeling that there was something else. Yesterday I follow Kagura to her home and she didn¡t notice me at all... Or at least I think she didn't notice me. She did turn around, maybe I was being too obvious at some point. Anyways, I saw her talking with Akira and the group, not only that, another boy was with them, someone from another school. For the moment I won't focus on him. Akira was my objective today and I was going to follow him around to gather information about his activities and "friendships" as wells. Maybe I could get something from Kagura, but she'll lie to me, I know. The bell ringed and school ended, I grab my bag and a manga I bought the other day. I use it as a disguise, I was going to pretend that I'm an oblivious girl just reading a manga and he won't pay me any attention, it was perfect. I get out of my classroom and wait near the stair of the second floor for Akira Kurusu to came out of his class. It took him a couple of minutes to get out and he wasn't alone. He was with Ann Takamaki. They seem to be having a nice talk, they didn't notice me, that's good. I follow them and hear their conversation from behind. Oddly enough, it was pretty normal. Ann was talking about her job as a model and Akira was only listening and occasionally saying something to her. I hide from time to time to avoid getting too close to them. They talk in the courtyard and after that, they part ways. I start to follow Kurusu through Shibuya and see in the bookstore, Big Bang Burger, and the airsoft shop. He seems like a pretty busy person and it got my attention that last place he went, the airsoft shop "Untouchable". The owner sells model weapons so that leads me to think of two things...

A- _He just like guns and collect models_

B- _He's involved in shady stuff_

Who knows, I might just enter the shop and ask him, but I bet it would be useless... I enter anyway and ask, he told the same thing I was thinking, he won't share information about his clients or workers... That leads me to believe that he works part time there too, it might be a possibility, but I need more information. I keep following Akira around until he suddenly stops and stares at a girl... I know that girl... She was Haru, she and I are in the same grade, but we're from different classes. For some reason, I can't remember her last name that well... Akira stares at her for a moment and then walk away. That wasn't normal, at least from my point of view, he stares at her way too long... Anyways, he keeps walking and I follow him until Yongen-Jaya. Before he enters the Cafe he stumbles with... Kagura. She was reading a book in the street and wasn't paying attention to her way. She hit her head with him and they both apologize because none of them were paying attention. I hide before Kagura could notice me and wait for her to leave, but she didn't. She starts talking with him about something, I couldn't hear them at all because of all the people walking in the street and talking at the same time. At some point, a group of students gets in my view and when they get past, I lost both Akira and Kagura... I decide to stop the investigation for today, tomorrow I will follow Kagura and then I'll focus on Ryuji Sakamoto and Ann Takamaki... If I'm lucky I might find that blue haired boy that was with them too...

* * *

 ** _5/25 Wednesday_**

 **Akira's POV**

Makoto Niijima followed me yesterday. I'll admit I was oblivious to it at first, but when I stumble with Kagura, she pointed at her and then I realized she's following me for god knows how long. Shortly after that, we lost her in a crowd, I know for a fact that she'll follow me again today, if not then at some point she'll do it again. I need to be more careful from now on. She'll be a pain in the ass if we don't do something about it. That is why me and Kagura come up with a plan today. We'll go to Shibuya after school, if Makoto is following us today, then we'll lose her and then do whatever we want. I didn't have any plans today, but the fact that someone is stalking me is not good. I don't like to be followed like that, not only that... I didn't notice her at all, how could I be so oblivious of her...?

After school, I wait in the entrance for Kagura. I look around the place to see if Makoto was anywhere to be found, to my surprise, she wasn't. I still she might be still around so I have to be careful. I saw Kagura walking through the entrance and stopping in front of me. She sighs and scratches her head.

"Makoto can be a pain, sometimes..." She said with a tired face. "She's not following you today"

"Really? How do you know?" I ask her and then saw Makoto hiding near the entrance with a manga covering her face... She wasn't fooling anyone, it was so obvious. She wasn't even trying to be discreet. It was almost painful to see her like that...

"She's following me..." Kagura said. "I mean... She's so obvious... It makes me wonder how she can be so intelligent and sometimes so oblivious... Anyway, let's go. I know how to get rid of her"

"How?" I ask I was genuinely curious. Kagura guide me to Shibuya and Makoto follows us all the way to the Central Street. Kagura wasn't telling me where we were going, but I saw a big smile on her face when we got to the movie theater. "Why are you smiling like that? It's kinda creepy..." And it was. She looks at me like she was about to do something evil but fun.

"Do you like scary movies, Kurusu?"

"I... Yes, from time to time... Why?"

"Makoto is afraid of ghost films and anything related to horror movies. So we'll go inside, she won't follow us there. Eventually, she'll leave because when the movie is over it'll be already late and she can't be here for long. She's obsessed with studying..." Kagura explain. "I'll pay the ticket, don't worry about it"

"... It's usually the other way around" I said.

"That if we are either a couple on a date or a married couple, we aren't either of those... This is to free ourselves from a stalker" She said and went to buy the tickets. "And to be honest... You are not even my type"

"That's good to know... You're not my type either. I prefer nice girls"

"... I can be nice sometimes"

"No, you are more like a psychopath to me"

* * *

 **Makoto's POV**

All right... Let's suppose that Kagura isn't involved in the Phantom Thieves at all... Let's suppose... If that's the case, what is his doing with Akira Kurusu here? They are going to the movie theater... Don't tell... Are they a couple? No, no, it can't be. Kagura going on a date? She has a shitty attitude from time to time, not to mention she let her emotions control her. She won't last 5 days in a relationship and I'm being generous in giving her five days. Still... Supposedly, if Kagura isn't involved in the Phantom Thieves and this is a date... Then I shouldn't be following them around, I look like a bad friend stalking her like that... But if she's involved with the Phantom Thieves, then I have to keep following her. I don't want her to get involved in something dangerous, as her best friend I most everything I can to help her and protect her if necessary from bad influence... Although I think she'll be the bad influence here if she's a Phantom Thief, Kurusu had just transferred here... Anyway, I need to stop thinking about this and focus on following her and... You have to be kidding me... They just enter to see a horror movie... Why it has to be a horror movie? What's your obsession with those movies, Kagura!? I can't let her win... I'll go in... No, I shouldn't... NO! I won't let her get away. I will go in... I'll prove her that nothing can stop me.

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

I'm in the movie theater with Akira Kurusu... I never thought that it would actually happen, still, we are here to get rid of Makoto and- Holy Shit! Did she just enter!? She's here! Oh my god! Makoto sits a few rows behind us and hides her face behind that weird manga she was pretending to read. She was scared, I knew it... But now I respect her more for this... Too bad I have to kick her out. I was sitting next to Akira and whisper to him.

"Don't turn around, but Makoto just enter" I whisper

"Are you kidding me!?" He whispers back.

"Don't worry, I bet she won't stay for long... As soon the ghost comes out and start killing people she will turn around and leave"

"Are you sure?"

"I know her... But just to make sure..." I look at Akira's bag. "Morgana... Are you there?"

"Yes, what happened?" Morgana gets out of the bag.

"I have a job for you... Scare the shit out of Makoto" I said and Morgana nodded.

"You got it... But how?"

"It's dark and you are a black cat so it helps. When a ghost appears on the screen, just walk around her feets or touch her leg. She'll freak out"

"Roger that" Morgana jump out of the bag and hide under Makoto's chair.

"I didn't expect Makoto to be scared of this things" Akira said.

"She's also afraid of the dark, so this helps a lot" I said while I eat the popcorn.

"... How in the world are you two friends?"

"We had a lot in common, Akira. That's the only thing you need to know"

* * *

 **Makoto's POV**

I can't believe I'm here, why I did it? I just want to get out of here, but the movie just started and I already pay for the ticket. I better stay here and see if Kagura and Akira are up to something. For the moment they are whispering something to each other... They look normal from here, almost like a couple... Are those two really dating or are they just messing with me? I know Kagura likes to do that, but to think she'll drag Kurusu with her... A-Anyway, I need to focus... Just ignore the big screen and you'll be fine, Makoto. Ignore the noise, the jumpscares... the ghost... It's a movie, it's a movie... I look at them through the course of the movie and notice something. Kurusu, slowly, hug Kagura with his right arm and bring her closer to him. I stand a little from my chair and try to see them closely, but then a jumpscare happen and I go back right at my chair and hide behind the manga.

"It's just a movie, it's just a movie" I repeat to myself. I saw the ghost on the big screen and I close my eyes. "No, it's not real. There's no way that..." Then I stay still when i feel something touching my leg and running away. I try to remain calm, but then I feel something licking me under the chair and immediately stand up. "I-I-I can't take it anymore!" I run away from the movie theater and control me breathing once I was again in the Central Street. "Wh-What was that!? Was it a real g-ghost...? I won't go back to the theater ever again!"

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

As soon we get out of the movie theater, Kagura let out the laugh she was trying so hard to contain. I laugh a little too, to think that Makoto Niijima would be that afraid of ghost and horror movies. Still, I think that with the act we pull in there was enough to make her believe we were on a date. I was surprised when Kagura told me to hug her when I did it I think Makoto start doubting about the whole "following us around thing". I think that with this she will stop at least for a couple of days. Surprisingly enough, I'm starting to enjoy spending time with Kagura. She seems cool... When she's not angry. Still, I could tell that she still don't trust me or the team completely. I can see how she hides behind a mask every time we get together... It might look like she's okay with the team and having a good time with us, but I know it... She's not, she doesn't want us around. I think that to her, we are just people that force her to accept us and she just got stuck with us. If there's an opportunity, she might get rid of us at some point without thinking it twice... I might be wrong, I hope I'm wrong but who knows... But for the moment I can tell that Kagura is starting to open up a little to me, but not enough with the rest... I need to change that.

"I feel sorry for Makoto" She said. "I'll come up with a lie tomorrow, she's going to ask me about this for sure"

"Yes, but be careful. I don't want her to discover us" I said.

"She won't... Just make sure that Ryuji doesn't screw it up. I can see it coming from a mile away"

"I know, I think the same... Anyway, I enjoy the movie. It wasn't that bad"

"It was okay... Not perfect, it had its flaws... Anyway, be careful on your way home"

"You are not coming with me?"

"I need to buy some things before going back. Just make sure no one is following you" Kagura turn around and leave, but I stop her.

"Kagura" I call her name and she turns to look at me. "I was wondering... What do you see if some of this days we hang out again... With the group, I mean" Kagura didn't say anything, she just shrugs.

"If you want..." She said. "We might "celebrate" again if Madarame's change of heart was successful. So we might hang out then" Kagura agreed with it... I feel my bond with her growing deeper. I saw the card on top of her glowing a little bit. "See you tomorrow, don't screw it up or I'll get mad"

"Sure..." I said as she disappears from my sight. "... Why is she like that? Did something happen to her to make her so..." I couldn't come u with the right word

"... Distrustful?" Morgana asks from the bag

"Exactly" I said. "Did she told you something?"

"No... But remember what Yusuke said about a scar? She was really nervous about it... Maybe it has something to do with it" Morgana explain.

"So, if we can get her to talk... Maybe we'll find out"

"But be careful... If she's keeping it a secret, then there's has to be something that she doesn't want us to know... It may be something terrible"

"... Still, we need to know"


	25. TV Station

**_Chapter 24: TV Station_**

 ** _6/5 Sunday_**

 **Kagura's POV**

We were in our hideout, looking at the giant TV in one of the buildings of Shibuya in the Central Street. The news was on and they show Madarame on the screen he was giving a press conference and right there you could see him about to cry. He had a lot of microphones in front of him. People on the street stop and look at the giant TV once Madarame appears on it.

"I... I have committed crimes that are unbecoming of an artist" He said. "Plainly put... I, um... plagiarized work... I-I... tainted this... this country's art world... and... even "Sayuri"...!" Madarame starts crying in front of the camera. It was a little difficult for me to watch because it felt so weird seeing an old man crying, but when i remember what he has done... He deserves it... "H-How could I... I possibly... apologize to- to everyone for... for what I've done... Aaaah...!" Madarame keeps crying and I smile victoriously.

"He had it coming..." I said.

"... And that was from the urgent apology conference by Madarame that took place just a moment ago" The Newscaster said. "After reporting to the association, Madarame has agreed to the police's request to turn himself in. On top of charges of abuse to his pupils, Madarame is under suspicion of claiming their works as his own. Some doubt the validity that his maiden work "Sayuri" was stolen, believing it was used for fraud. This large-scale criminal act has caused a great shock to the art world, and..." The newscaster keeps talking and i hear the people whispering around us about Madarame. That caught everyone's attention and I feel more satisfied than ever before. "After the conference, Madarame was taken to a police hospital for interrogation due to his age. However, initial psych evaluations state that he is mentally sound and likely responsible for his actions"

"Everything went well" Akira said.

"Also, a group calling themselves the Phantom Thieves posted a dubious note at Madarame's exhibit. The police will investigate their relation to this case, considering them as potential suspects. It appears that is not the first time the Phantom Thieves are mentioned, according to the police, they did the same with a notorious criminal, Takeshi Ogata and..." The Newscaster keeps talking about the Phantom Thieves and everyone in the group smile.

"Man, this is startin' to get interesting... If we do it right, we can change people's hearts" Ryuji said. "With this power... we might be able to do more than just gettin' back at society. It'll be a big deal!"

"Just calm down" I said. "Don't get too excited about it and screw it up. We are doing good for now, but who knows what will happen next... The police are starting to get suspicious..."

"Don't worry, Kagura. They won't find us that easily" He said.

"... I don't believe you"

"He's right, Kagura. Don't worry too much about it" Ann said. "If we continue doing this, we'll definitely be able to give courage to everyone who needs it" A police officer walks past us and start talking with a man in a business suit.

"We may want to quiet down a little" Yusuke said and we all shut up. They look at us and walked right by us.

"Hello there" Said the man in the suit. "May I speak with you for a moment?" He ask me

"Sure, what's up?" I said naturally. I notice that Ann was really nervous and Ryuji was tense. Yusuke and Akira were normal, just like me. They know how to dissimulate.

"What are you all doing here? Are you friends?" He asks me.

"... What, it doesn't look like it?" I ask. "Is there a problem?"

"Not really" He said. "Just make sure you disperse before it gets too late, OK? There have been some odd happenings lately, and the news about that artist has caused quite the stir"

"It's nothing to worry about. People go crazy for the smallest things" I said. "But we'll be careful" They leave and Ryuji sighs.

"It's still light out... Man, those guys must have way too much time on their hands" Ryuji said. "Anyway... Yusuke... What are you gonna do now? I mean, you are not living in that shack anymore, aren't you?"

"I'll be staying in the school dorms. I can stay there free of charge thanks to my fine-arts scholarship" He answers

"A scholarship!? Wait, you're that good...?" Ryuji ask.

"Of course he is" Akira said.

"Although, Kobayashi-san's house would do as well" He said and I sigh.

"... I'm tired of yelling it, so I'll simply say... No. Besides, even... EVEN, if you manage to convince my mother, there is no place for you to sleep there" I was tired of Yusuke asking to paint me. So tired that I won't even try to get angry, I'll just turn him down with a simple "No" until he decides to leave me alone.

"You know, you could ask her to model for you whenever you wanted" Ryuji said and i hit him in the arm. "Ouch!"

"You better thank God that I didn't hit you again in the balls" I said. Ryuji smile at me, the punch wasn't that strong.

"Haha... Then again, now that Yusuke'll be livin' alone, it'll be easier for us to meet up whenever we want" Ryuji said.

"I still have to work, you know" I said.

"Well... Not whenever, but you know what i mean"

"For the time being, we should wait and see how this case plays out" Yusuke said

"And it'll prolly take some time findin' a target as big as Madarame" Ryuji said.

"Don't worry about the next target now. We need to lay low for a while anyways" Akira said.

"What do you say if we go to eat something now that we are here?" Ann ask.

"I'm hungry, so I'll go" Ryuji said. "What do you see?" He asks Akira.

"Sure why not?" He said.

"I'm in too" Yusuke join them. "But only if Kagura is coming too"

"Let's go, Kagura" Ann said to me and I look at the hour. It was midday and I didn't eat anything yet.

"... I guess I'll go... But just for a while..." We went to the Central Street of Shibuya and enjoy the rest of the day...

* * *

 _Kagura Kobayashi looks at the table and then at her hands, the handcuffs leave a pretty bad mark on her skin. The mark was still red and they start hurting when she touches them. The pause for a moment and take some air, Sae was taking some notes on her story and from time to time she saw her wounds. Part of her still couldn't believe it, She knew Kagura for years. To see her now in this room, in that state... Not only she's sad, she's afraid of what might happen to her once all this interrogation is over... If she were to die after this, what will she say to Makoto? Sae shakes her head and continues the interrogation._

 _"So... after Shiho Suzui, you did it again for someone you barely knew?" She asks. "You were sent away twice, almost reported to the police... and yet you still wanted to save him? More over, you ended up in a museum instead of a castle this time... You're still going to maintain this rubbish about changing someone's heart by stealing their Treasure?"_

 _"It's... all true..." She said. She starts to feel her head heavy. "Call it rubbish if you want, I don't care..."_

 _"Very well. The truth behind this tale of yours will be clear once your conspirators are in custody" Sae said. Kagura blinks a few times and shakes her head. She was trying to not fall sleep, but in reality, it was much worse. She was pale and about to collapse, but she makes an effort to remain conscious. Sae didn't notice it too much because of the darkness of the room. "Now then, tell about this new member who joined your group" Kagura remain silent. "There's no point in being stubborn. It will only damage your position. The identity of Madarame's pupil can be easily discovered with a little investigation"_

 _"If you can do it... Then go right ahead. I won't... say a word... Especially about him"_

 _"So you won't sell out your accomplice?"_

 _"Of course not... I'll even take those names to my grave if I must..."_

 _"... Fine. There's still much more that I want to hear. It was around this time that the Phantom Thieves began to truly gain popularity. Lies flooded the internet. Things like "The Phantom Thieves saved me too" or "I got a calling card" For heaven's sake... those lies made the collection of intel take almost ten times longer" Sae said and Kagura laugh at her._

 _"... Isn't the internet beautiful, Sae-san?" Kagura asks with a big smile on her face despite the pain she's starting to feel in her body._

 _"... Your next target" Sae open the files and show her a fat man and next to him a calling card. "Junya Kaneshiro"_

 _"Ah right... Him... What a Fat Bastard... Too bad I didn't get to torture him enough" Kagura whisper the last part. Sae ignores her._

 _"He doesn't compare to the previous two, but share a lot of similarities with Takeshi Ogata. Not only that, but he and Ogata used to work together and just like Ogata's case... the police had been struggling to apprehend him, the main difference here is that Kaneshiro didn't bribe any police officer... He knew how to hide from them... Exactly how did you take down such a well-guarded criminal? Tell me"_

 _"... First off... Take the photo out of my face or I'll lose it... Second... It was a pain in the ass to get to him. Someone helped us... Someone I didn't want to get involve in all this..."_

* * *

 ** _6/6 Monday_**

 **Makoto's POV**

"Yes, Principal?" I was called again to the principal's office. I knew why he wanted to ask me about the investigation. I had nothing... Absolutely nothing... Well, not really. I had something, but are only assumptions.

"How are things going in regard to that matter we spoke of earlier?" He asks me.

"I have nothing to report yet..." I keep the info to myself for now. I need to confirm it first.

"Nothing at all? How many students are there who could provoke a teacher?"

"I've already narrowed it down. I just... can't get any solid evidence..." I didn't give him any names, I didn't want him to act and do something unexpected. The Principal sigh and I cross my arms. "You knew, didn't you...? About Mr. Kamoshida sexually harassing students" I ask, but he didn't reply. He just stares at me, then I knew... He knew it from the very beginning. "Sir!"

"What will come of you asking that?"

"This investigation is for a just cause, correct?"

"I believe I understand how flustered this must be making you. I'm sure it was truly shocking for you as student council president to see a peer attempt suicide"

"Yes..."

"We must provide a school environment where all students can feel at ease. That is the most pressing issue we have to tackle at the moment"

"... So that's your reason behind this investigation on the Phantom Thieves of Hearts? We don't even know if they truly exist. Why are you-"

"You heard about the incident with that Madarame fellow, I assume?"

"They said there was a similar calling card to the one used in Mr. Kamoshida's case"

"I wish to believe that this is unrelated to our students... That is where I stand. I suggest you devote your energy to the task at hand, not unnecessary questions... There's a student that might be your top suspect..."

"Who?"

"Your friend... Kagura Kobayashi... Some say she might be the one behind it... I want you to look into it"

"But, Principal, she's..."

"She's what? Innocent?"

"..."

"Do as I told. If she's responsible for this then there's no need for you to get involved with people like her... They'll only drag you and your future down"

"... Yes, sir"

* * *

 _ **6/9 Thursday**_

 **Akira's POV**

Today we were going to a TV Station as part of our social studies trip. Everyone vote for the TV Station, as for me... I just wanted somewhere more interesting. I already knew what to expect, i went to a TV Station at my old school. I didn't want to be there at all. It was a trip only for the students of the second year, so Kagura wasn't here with us. Our guide on the TV Station was a woman who repeats obvious things that everyone here already knows. I start to get bored so fast...

"... And that's why we recruit sponsors to help make TV shows" She said. "I'm sure you know about commercial breaks? Well, those are actually sponsor-related product placements"

"Is she serious...?" I ask. "We know that already..."

"Chill, man" Ryuji said

"To sum things up, rating is vitally important for a station's production funding, and..." She keeps talking

"Ugh... How long I'm going to stand here hearing all this?" I ask

"For the next hour, I think..." Ann said.

"... God, please kill me" The woman keep talking like she just loves the sound of her voice.

"I swear... I'm not gonna last either" Ryuji said. Shortly after that, we were forced to work as assistance camera, We had to deal with tangled cables almost all the trip while listening to that woman going on and on about how everything from the Station works. She even talks about the break room. I was starting to think that she was treating us like stupid people... Oh, and Ann got sexually harassed by some random dude. Ryuji step in and push him away from Ann, he was really pissed off in that moment, luckily the man turns around and leave and Kawakami didn't saw a thing so he didn't get scolded... After working all most all the trip, we walk through the staff section. "I'm so pissed off!" Ryuji yells.

"I know, just let it out, Ryuji" I said.

"Aren't we supposed to be guest!? Why the hell do we hafta be doin' manual labor!? Ryuji keeps yelling. "This is bull shit! Goin' to the bathroom didn't even make me feel better!"

"Quite down, will you?" Ann said. "You are lucky Kagura is not here because she'll hit you for all the yelling... No, I'll think she'll yell too for this awful trip..." She was right. Kagura will join with Ryuji on this and complain all day.

"We gotta do more of this tomorrow too...?" Ryuji ask

"No flaking out, Ryuji" Morgana said

"I know, I know. I gotta be a "good boy", right?" Ryuji sigh. "Bein' Phantom Thieves ain't easy"

"What did you expect?" I ask.

"That reminds me, we get to go home straight from here today" Ann said. "We don't spend much time in this area, so why don't we relax and check out some shops beforehand?"

"Ooh, I know a place! I wanna go to that huge pancake-looking place we passed on the way here!" Morgana yell. "It looked delicious! What was that?"

"Ohhh... You mean Dome Town?" Ryuji ask. "The round part is a baseball stadium, then along the outside, they've got an amusement park"

"It's right in the middle of a business area, but they have some pretty hardcore rides there too" Ann explain.

"All right... Let's go! I'll show you just how courageous I am!" Morgana said, proud of himself.

"Going on a scary ride doesn't really prove any kind of courage" Ann said.

"Not like cats can get on anyways" Ryuji said.

"Really?"

"Really. You might be able to sneak in if you stay in the bag, but you'd totally puke if you did that" Ryuji laugh. "But uh... Let's just go to Dome Town! I'm really fellin' it now!"

"My too! My stomach's ready for roller coasters!" Ann said

"Uhhh... I think I'll pass on the puke rides" Morgana said and we heard footsteps. Morgana hides and we saw a young man with a briefcase. He had shaggy chin-length brown hair with bangs and reddish-brown eyes. He wears a tan peacoat with black buttons, striped black and white tie, black trousers, and black gloves. He looks at us and gives us a smile.

"Excuse me, I couldn't help but notice your uniforms. Are you students of Shujin Academy?" He ask us

"Yeah, whaddya want?" Ryuji asks him.

"I happened to be passing by, so it seemed polite to greet you. We'll be filming together, after all" He said. "Ah, where are my manners? My name is Goro Akechi" The young man introduces himself.

"Akechi...?" Ann ask

"Filming? What, you a celebrity?" Ryuji ask

"Only to the extent of appearing on TV a couple of times" Akechi look at his phone. "My apologies, I truly was just passing by. I must be going. There's a briefing for tomorrow's recording that I have to attend. So, you're going to go have cake now? I missed lunch today, so I'm quite hungry myself..." He asks and we were a little confused by his question.

"Huh? Cake...? What're you talkin' about?" Ryuji ask him

"Oh, am I mistaken? I thought I heard something about delicious pancakes..." Akechi said and in that moment I felt that something wasn't quite right... Only Morgana mention the word Pancake. I notice it, but looks like Ryuji and Ann completely forgot about that. "No matter. Welp, see you tomorrow" He left.

"That guy's gotta be some kinda start-up entertainer or something" Ryuji said. I was still thinking about what Akechi said... But I leave it for later. I need to talk with Morgana about this. "He's never gonna get popular with that kinda hair though"

"That hair looks good on him" I said. "I wish mine wasn't this frizzy. If i had to choose, I'll choose his hairstyle"

"Anyway. We'll see him again tomorrow anyways. C'mon, let's go to Dome Town!"

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

I was having a fight... I was struggling... In front of me, there was something that I can't escape from... I sigh in defeat and look at my wallet while I yell in the middle of Central Street and fall to my knees.

"I don't have money to buy that goddamn book!" I yell and everyone looked at me like I was crazy. "When did this happen!? I don't remember wasting my money this week! How come my wallet is empty!?" I found I little note hidden in my wallet. I take out and read it.

" _Sorry, but I need a little of your money to buy something... Love you, Mom_ "

"A little!? You took it all!... This can't be... I feel betrayed... I don't have to either eat or buy whatever the hell I want... And on top of that, I have to work today... Sojiro won't pay me until Saturday. Man, this sucks..."

"Hey, you need money?" I look behind me. I man with sunglasses speak to me. "I have a job for you that might give you money in no time"

"... I'll rather jump out of a building before accepting a job from you" I said and walk away. "Lately there's weird persons in Shibuya... Why is that?"

* * *

 _ **6/10 Friday**_

 **Akira's POV**

We were once again in the TV Station, this time we were looking at the people preparing to film. We take sites and look the live program. It certainly felt different here than seeing it on TV. The cast of the show was only two announcers, a man, and a woman. I saw Goro Akechi on a corner of the room, waiting his turn to show up. From the looks of it, he was about to be interviewed.

"Mr. Akechi's coming on!" Said the man in front of the camera. Akechi came in and almost all the girls start chatting about him.

"Ain't that the guy from yesterday...?" Ryuji ask

"Don't tell me you don't remember him" I said.

"And now, onto the "Hottest Meet-and-Greet" segment of our show" Said the woman announcer. "After his last appearance was so well-received, we decided to bring back this fine gentleman today. It's the high school detective, Goro Akechi!"

"Hello there" Akechi said with a smile and the girls of our school lose it.

"... I'm kinda envious of him now" I said.

"Thank you for taking the time to join us today, Akechi-kun. Your popularity is stunning" Said the male announcer.

"Even I've found it to be quite a surprise. It is a bit embarrassing though..." Akechi said.

"Moving along, we've been told there's a case on your mind right now. Care to share, detective?" The female announcer ask

"Ah, yes. That would be the scandal involving the master artist Madarame" Akechi said and we all pay attention about what he had to say.

"There it is! All of this phantom thief excitement has caught your attention too, Akechi-kun!" The male announcer said. "Allow me to be blunt for a second. What do you think of these justice-oriented Phantom Thieves?"

"If they truly are heroes of justice, I sincerely hope they exist" Akechi said.

"Ohhh, so you don't deny the possibility that they're real?" He asks him.

"I may not seem like it, but I sometimes wish that Santa Claus actually existed... Although if he did, I'd have to arrest him for breaking and entering" Akechi joked and everyone laugh. "Still, it's hard not to believe in the Phantom Thieves. The rumor has been around on the internet for four years now and not only that, it wasn't the first time a calling card was delivered... Those Phantom Thieves are real, and I believe they should be tried in a court of law" Once he says that I couldn't help but stay still completely. He was joking one moment and the next he was talking about arresting us.

"That's quite the statement" Said the announcer. "Are they committing crimes? Some people even say that the Thieves are actually helping their victims abandon their evil ways"

"What the artist Madarame did truly was an unforgivable crime. Just like their previous victim, Suguru Kamoshida and all the way to their very first victim, Takeshi Ogata who was sentenced to life imprisonment for his crimes... However, they're taking the law into their own hands by judging him. It is far from justice... More importantly, you should never forcefully change a person's heart"

"You have a point. These people are calling themselves the Phantom Thieves, after all" Said the announcer. "Amazing as always, Akechi-kun! I could listen to you for days! You have the most radiant charisma!"

"Now then, let's try asking some students the same age as Akechi-kun about the Phantom Thieves!" The female announcer stands up and walks to us. She saw me. "All right, let's try asking this student here" She said. "What are your thoughts on these Phantom Thieves?" She asks me and I answer quickly. I didn't even think in my answer.

"They do more than the cops" I said and everyone laughs at my answer, even Akechi

"This completely goes against the opinion you had about them being tried by law, Akechi-kun" The announcer said.

"Indeed. It's rather intriguing to hear such a strong acknowledgment... In that case, there's one more question I'd like to ask... If someone close to you, for example, your friend next to you... If his heart suddenly changed... Wouldn't you think it was the work of the Phantom Thieves?" Akechi ask me.

"They only target criminals" I said.

"I see... But how can you be so sure?" Akechi ask me. "I've been investigating and find something interesting... They target criminals like you said, but a few years back, they target an 8 years old girl and change her heart" When he said that my eyes widen, just like Ryuji and Ann. "Of course, the girl confess a crime that even the police couldn't believe, but they still send her to juvenile hall when everything add up... She kill her own father, poisoned his food on purprose. After she was send to the juvenile hall, she commit suicide for what she have done, she couldn't bear the weight of her crime any longer..." We didn't knew that at all. Was Kagura hiding more than it looked like? Why she didn't told us about that girl? Then again, it might be something she can't talk about that easily. "You say they target criminal, that's correct, but looks like they don't care if those criminal are either a boy or a girl or if they even have the age to be put on trial... Whether the Thieves' actions are good or not, i feel there is a more important issue at hand. The matter of how they change people's hearts. If they honestly possess that ability... it could be used for more than extracting confessions. It could be that what seem to be ordinary crimes are actuallybeing perpetrated by these methods..."

"You know, you're absolutely right" Said the announcer

"Oh, please don't misunderstand. This is all purely hypothetical... It is only if people who can use such power truly exist. Either way though, this cannot be ignored. Only one of their victims die and that's enough for me to go after them. The existence of the Phantom Thieves would be nothing but a threat to our everyday lives... To be honest, i'm already working alongside the police to help sort out this matter" After the program ended we were about to leave the TV Station but stopped for a moment.

"... What do you think?" Ryuji ask. "About that girl that commited suicide... Why Kagura hasn't told us that?" Morgana stick out his head.

"It actually depends on the person... Changing the heart of someone that young was really risky for her. As a result, that girl couldn't live her life knowing that she kill her own father" Morgana explain. "I bet Kagura felt awful when she find out about her suicide..."

"I don't blame her... I'll also keep that to myself" Ann said. "Still... She kill her father and she was that young... It's completely unforgiveble"

"Not to mention messed up" Ryuji said. "I bet her Palace was really twisted"

"... What Akechi said... It kinda seemed like what he was saying might be right" Ann said.

"He made it sound like we're the baddies. I don't like it. He is using that suicide too as an excuse" Ryuji said.

"And that stuff about the police... We should be extremly careful from now on" Ann said.

"He can say whatever he wants. The justice of it all is something we can decide for ourselves" Morgana said.

"Oh sorry, I gotta go take a leak. Can you guys wait here? I'll be right back" Ryuji run to the bathroom.

"Oh my god... I'm gonna keep going, OK?" Ann said. "See you tomorrow Akira" Ann leave me alone and i sigh

"... What do you say, Morgana? We should talk with Kagura about that suicide? I wanted to know more about it" I said

"Me too, but i bet she won't open her mouth that easily. There has to be a way... Oh!" Morgana hide again in my bag and i saw Akechi walking in my direction.

"Oh, it's you!" He said. "I'm glad i found you. I wanted to thank you in person. To paraphrase Hegel, advancement cannot occur without both thesis and antithesis..."

"Excuse me...?" I ask

"Haha, my apologies. What i mean is that our discussion was quite meaningful. Few people around me are so willing to speak their minds as freely as you did earlier" He said.

"Well, it might be because of your charisma and the fact that they don't want to get on your bad side. Looks like you're pretty famous, so famous people get a lot of privileges and fans that follow them around without questioning anything that come out of your mouth..." I said and he laugh

"He vey nicely put... It's kinda how it is... I feel like our discussions could prove quite fruitful. Would you mind talking with me again?" Akechi seem interested in me.

"Fine by me" I said with a genuine smile. He seems like a nice guy... But i still have my guard up. I still remember what happen yesterday... I better keep an eye on him.

"Thank you. It makes me glad to hear that. The students from Shujin are truly quite interesting. Some more that others..." Everything stopped again and i saw a card forming on top of Akechi's head, followed by a woman's voice.

 ** _I am Thou, Thou art I..._**

 ** _Thou hast acquired a new vow._**

 ** _It shall become the wings of rebellion_**

 ** _that breaketh thy chains of captivity_**

 ** _With the birth of the Justice Persona,_**

 ** _I have obtained the winds of blessing that_**

 ** _shall lead to freedom and new power..._**

Everything went back to normal again. "I look forward to seeing you again" Akechi said and he turn around and leave.

"Talk about a problematic guy to et involved with" Morgana said. "There's probably a lot we can learn from him though" I nodded and Ryuji came running.

"Sorry for takin' so long!" He said and saw Akechi walking away. "... Wait, was that Akechi? I can't stand that high and mighty attitude...! Just breathin' the same air as him makes me sick"

"Aren't you exageriting a little bit?" I ask. "Besides, Kagura from time to time had that same attitude of superiority"

"Yeah, the difference is that she don't rub it in our faces. Come on, let's go" We walk away and leave the TV Station... We were finally free from this awful social studies trip...


	26. Celebration & Blackmail

**_Chapter 25: Celebration & Blackmail_**

 _ **6/11 Saturday**_

 **Akira's POV**

It was lunchtime and I went to the courtyard with Ryuji. We were talking about the social studies trip to the TV Station and Goro Akechi. Only by seeing his name, Ryuji lost it. I sigh and hear him complaining about him like he was some kind of plague.

"... Man, that detective from yesterday really pissed me off!" He yells. "We're some kinda threat? Let's see him do it then!"

"Calm down a little, will you? You're yelling" I said

"But if someone else could help 'em, we wouldn't be doin' stuff as the Phantom Thieves to start with!" He yells. Ann comes from behind and hit him in the head. "Ow!"

"You're being way too loud" Ann said while eating some chips.

"Who cares? Everybody's talkin' about this stuff anyways" Ryuji said. "It'll be more suspicious if we were whispering" Ryuji look at the food Ann had in her hands. "Hey, you really just gonna keep eatin' and eatin' and eatin' those things all by yourself!? Gimme some!"

"Sorry, just ate the last one" Ann said.

"You guys are too laid back" Morgana said. "The police are getting involved now, you know"

"So you think it's true...? We'll be OK if we keep doing this... right?" Ann ask.

"We can't let the cops scare us outta bein' Phantom Thieves" Ryuji said.

"But... What about that weird guy from Madarame's Palace...? The one that attacked Kagura. Not only that, she might be hiding something from us. Isn't there a lot we don't know?" Ann asks and someone took a photo of us. It was Makoto Niijima.

"The hell?" Ryuji ask

"You three seem to be having so much fun. I'm a little jealous" Makoto said with a smile on her face.

"Are you snoopin' on us again?" Ryuji ask. "We said before, we don't know nothin'. Go bother your friend if you want to question someone"

"Why do you think I'm here to question you? Could it be that you're hiding something?" Makoto ask. "Besides, Kagura is busy. I can't get closer to her now... I have a feeling she's avoiding me... But I'll get the truth from her... If she values our friendship, that is"

"You're really that hungry for a good letter of recommendation?" Ann asks her. "Of course you are... Nobody would take on your annoying job if they weren't"

"What's that supposed to mean...?" She asks.

"... You're student council president, right? Wouldn't you have known about Kamoshida?" Ann ask. We knew she didn't know about it, Kamoshida himself told us that, but Ann didn't know that.

"Of course not! He honestly was a good teacher until that day..." Makoto said. She seems to be very hurt for that.

"Oh, but you always take the teacher's side. That's what a good council president does, right?" Ann keeps pressure her

"Then... How about you? What did you do for your friend?" Makoto and Ann stay still. "You were much closer to her than I was, so how did you help?"

"There wasn't any way to help! By myself... I couldn't do anything for her!" Ann yell.

"There's no need to shout"

"If those Phantom Thieves are out there helpin' people... I'd root for 'em, no question asked" Ryuji said. "They've gotta be more dependable than some people I know" Makoto look down and sigh. She shakes her head and turns around.

"... Just make sure you show up to your classes, all right?" Makoto left.

"I have a feeling that we might end up with our backs against the wall if she keeps getting in our way" I said. "Ryuji, try to keep quiet. You're too loud... Ann... Don't draw too much attention"

"I know" Ryuji said. "It's about time we find our next target"

After lunch was over we go back to our classes. The school was over really quickly and go to Shibuya. Looks like Yusuke was waiting for us near the station. Kagura sends us a message and remind us she has to work today so we went without her. We found Yusuke and he had a luggage with him, but no one asks about it yet. We talked about the site and our possibly now target.

"Comments are coming in at an alarming rate" Yusuke said while looking at the WebSite. "However, negative ones seem to be more prominent"

"It's prolly 'cause of Akechi... TV's got some crazy sway" Ryuji said.

"He's free to deny our actions, but being cursed by his influence is another thing entirely" Yusuke said. "The mention of that girl's suicide is also the reason why people start doubting of us"

"Yeah, when Akechi say that I froze up. Kagura never mentions that" Ryuji said.

"I've been looking up and found that girl's name and case..." Ann said. "It was exactly like Akechi said. Her name was Yumi Ikari, she kills her father while they were having a dinner. She turns herself in a month later and she commits suicide two days after she was sent to the juvinile hall. She hangs herself in her room"

"A change of heart in a kid can result in a suicide if the crime was this awful" Morgana said. "Still, now that this has come on TV, we can ask Kagura about it"

"If we don't want people to stop believing in us all we gotta do is take down another hot shot" Ryuji said

"... Well, do you have any ideas who this next "hot shot" could be?" Yusuke ask

"I ain't got a thing yet... Dammit, this is real irritatin'..." Ryuji said and look at Yusuke's luggage. "... By the way, Yusuke. What's up with that luggage?"

"Oh, i decided to leave the school dorms" Yusuke said. "They were not only filthy, but too noisy as well... No true art could come from such a place"

"What're you gonna do then? You can't go back to that shack, right?" Ryuji ask

"I was planning on staying at Kobayashi-san's... I mean, Kagura's house" He said and he looks at him like he was crazy.

"Sorry to ask, but... Have you lost your mind?" I ask

"Yeah, I want to ask that too" Ryuji said. "Kagura won't admit you in her house, you hear her the other day, didn't you?"

"I know. That's why I've prepared a thank-you gift for her mother. I know she will accept me with open arms" Yusuke was so secure that he'll be sleeping under the same ceiling as Kagura, but us... We highly doubt it.

"Yusuke... I don't think she'll accept you" Ann said.

"Don't worry, she will" He said.

"If you are so sure then go and ask her" I said. "Kagura is working in the Cafe now. I want to see how she turn you down again"

"Oh, you live in that Cafe, right? I've bee wondering about that for a while" Ann said.

"Then why didn't you ask me before?" I ask her

"I don't know, I think I forget to ask... Anyway, Yongen's not too far, is it?"

"No, and the Cafe is only a minute walk from the station" I said.

"Let's go now. Oh, and we can have a party to celebrate Madarame's change of heart!" Ann said.

"Ooh, good idea! We can make it a welcome party for Yusuke too!" Ryuji said

"I don't know about that" I said. "Sojiro is kinda... Well, I don't know how to describe him properly, but if you want to celebrate then I'll come up with something. I just hope there aren't many customers there"

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

I was having a nice day, there were no customers at all in the Cafe. I sit in one of the booths and ask Sojiro if I could make a little of my homework there. He agrees to it, seeing that there haven't been customers since the morning he was thinking about closing the shop early. I was about to take out my notebook when someone enters through the door and to my surprise it was my mother.

"Mom? What are you doing here?" I ask and stand up from the booth. She smiles and sits next to the counter.

"I wanted a nice cup of coffee" Mom look at Sojiro and smile. "It's a lovely day, isn't it, Sakura?"

"It is, Naomi. So, what do you want?"

"The same as always, Cuban Cristal Mountain"

"Coming right up" He said. "Kagura, sit next to her. I think you are done for today" I sit next to my mother and she takes out some money from her wallet.

"Sorry, for taking money from your wallet. I need it for something" She said and give me six thousand yens... I had ten thousand in my wallet.

"What for?" I ask.

"A thing... You'll find out soon enough"

"Oh, a surprise, huh? All right, I'll wait" I said and Sojiro looks at me.

"You want a coffee too, Kagura? This one will be on the house."

"Oh... Um, I want a Blue Mountain" I said and Sojiro starts making the coffee. "You are working today?"

"Yes, but Lala told me to come later. That gives me some time to spend with you and Sojiro who I barely see these days" She explained.

"I remember the first time you two came in. You were freaking out about how good the coffee was" Sojiro said to my mother. "And Kagura criticized it because it was too bitter"

"But it is, Soji. Your coffee's the best and your curry... It's like I eat God's food. I still think that you have some secret ingredient"

"Please..." Sojiro smiles and notices a little blush on his cheeks. He leaves the two cup of coffee in front of us. "Enjoy it"

"Thank you" We said at the same time and take a sip. Our reactions were the same. "Delicious..." We said.

"He, thanks" Sojiro said.

"So, Kagura. You ended up first on the scores. We didn't have time to talk about that, didn't we?"

"No, we didn't. I surpass Makoto. I bet she's losing it"

"Ah, Makoto... How is she doing?"

"She's doing great. Most of the time" I knew that Makoto wasn't doing that great because of the job the Principal is forcing her to do, but I had to keep Mom happy. "I think Sae is doing well too"

"I'm glad to hear that. That's what matters now, that they are doing well and walking ahead. Sae has a lot of expectation on Makoto and that's not good... Not only her, but everyone around her"

"I know..."

"It would be great if they just leave her be and let her decide what she wants to do with her life... But too much freedom is a bad thing too" She looked down at her cup of coffee. "Being young is not easy... And being an adult is hell if you screw up at some point" Me and Sojiro didn't say a word and let her take her time. "Anyway... Does any of you have a nice anecdote you want to share?" She asks.

"Well, I..." I was about to say something, but the door opens. I saw the door and saw, Akira, Ryuji, Ann and Yusuke enter into the Cafe. "Oh..."

"Ah, what a nice smell..." Ann said.

"This place looks so outdated... I can't say I hate it though" Ryuji said

"People refer to that as "retro", Ryuji" Yusuke said and they all looked at me and my mother. "Oh!"

"Well, hello there" My mother said. "We meet again"

"Oh, Kagura's mother. What a surprise" Ryuji said.

"Hm? You know them, Naomi?" Sojiro ask.

"Yes, they are Kagura's friend... And Akira's too" She point at Akira

"I didn't know you had these many friends" Sojiro said to Akira.

"Hello" Ann said. "Akira has been helping us a lot lately, Kagura too"

"Really...?" Sojiro looks at them. "Sit down. This round'll be on the house too" Yusuke sit next to me and Akira sit in the booth with Ryuji and Ann.

"I remember you" My mother say to Yusuke. "You are the kid that wanted to paint Kagura" She said and I try to hide my face. "How that's been going?"

" _God, please. Not here_ " I thought.

"You daughter refuse to my proposal every time, but I haven't given up yet," Yusuke said.

"She can be a stubborn sometimes" She said. "She wasn't like this a couple of years ago. I think she's going through a phase"

"Mom!"

"I was kidding... Anyway, what type of painting you wanted to do?" She asks and not only me, but Akira, Ryuji, Ann and Morgana stay still.

" _Don't you dare to say it or I'll kill you, Kitagawa!_ " I thought.

"Something fine and beautiful. Your daughter is perfect for the painting, not to mention beautiful" Yusuke said and she looked at me.

"Ohhhh... Did you hear that, Kagura? Looks like this boy is in love with you" She had and I hit the counter.

"S-S-Sorry for that... He doesn't love me, Mom. He just cares about that painting" I said

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure"

"Too bad... He seems like a really nice guy" My mother finished her coffee. "I should be going now. I'll leave you kids to enjoy yourself"

"Wait a moment" Yusuke said and take out a box full of sweets. "This is for you" He give them to my mother

"Oh, thanks a lot, this is so "sweet" of you. Hahaha..." She laughs but no one else did. "Um... Why are you giving it to me?" She asks and I kinda know the reason.

"I wanted to ask if I could stay in your house for a couple of days" He said it... I can't believe he actually said it.

"Oh... Wow, that's..." I knew she would react like that. "I mean... We have an empty room, but..."

"It will be only for a couple of days, I hope I'm not making you uncomfortable," Yusuke said.

"Dude, you're seriously asking that here?" Ryuji said. "There's no way she'll-"

"If it's only for a couple of days, then I don't see why not..."

"She accepts!?" Me, Akira, Ryuji and Ann said at the same time.

"N-Naomi, are you sure about that?" Even Sojiro ask.

"It's okay. Kagura will take you there. I won't be at home tonight so I trust you behave yourself there..." Mom scratch her head. "Hey... Not to make you nervous or anything... But if you touch or hurt my daughter in any way, I will make you suffer more than you'll ever imagine" She whisper, but we all hear her. "I'm sure you don't want to end up without any clothes at a river bank outside Tokyo... Did I make myself clear?" She asks with her nicest smile.

"Y-Yes..."

"It's settled then. I'll be leaving, Sojiro. Thanks for the coffee. Enjoy the rest of the day you all" She leaves the Cafe and Ryuji look at me.

"Did she just... threat him?"

"Yes" I said.

"Wow... And I thought you were scary" Shortly after that we go right to the attic and talk about our next target. In the end, we haven't come up with anything useful at all and we end up having dinner here. Mostly because Yusuke didn't eat anything since yesterday and he didn't have any money to eat. He spent it all on those sweets. I don't know if he's an idiot or just completely clueless of how to manage the money at all. We all buy the ingredients and make hot pot. Sojiro left and let us stay for a while. We had dinner together and to be honest... I miss having dinner with people. I always eat alone and go right to sleep, this was a nice change... I was happy with it... Anyway, after we finish, no one could keep eating and there was still food in the pot.

"I can't eat another bite" Ryuji said. He was the one who eats the more after all.

"This was delicious, Ann" Morgana said. Me and Ann prepare the dinner, Akira help too. "You too, Kagura. I'm sure you'll make a wonderful bride some day"

"... Sorry to break it to you, but I'm not getting married any time soon... Or ever" I said

"Why not?" Morgana ask

"I just... Don't feel like it" I said and Ann yawn

"Sorry, I'm gonna have to borrow the sofa" Ann lay down on the sofa and sleep. Ryuji and Morgana try to take a glimpse up her skirt when she lay down. I sigh and grab both by their ears.

"Argh!" They both yell.

"Not while I'm around, you perverts" I say and let go of them.

"Alright, alright" Morgana said. "What's wrong, Yusuke?" Yusuke seems a little down.

"Are you afraid of Kagura's mother now?" Akira ask.

"That's not it... We haven't finished our meal. What about the porridge, or even udon...?" Yusuke ask

"Just leave it for next time, man..." Ryuji said and we all hear Ann snoring.

"She's asleep already...!?" Morgana ask.

"It'd be weird if she wasn't tired. We should let her sleep" Ryuji said.

"By the way, Ryuji... How do you know Ann?" Yusuke ask

"Huh? Oh, we went to middle school together" Ryuji said.

"What was she back then?" Akira ask

"Not so different from now" He answers. "Once we got to high school, we ended up in different classes and stopped talkin'... I don't think she had many friends... And that's sad, I think I'm her only friend during that time besides Shiho. I mean, she grew up overseas, plus there's her looks. The popular kids hate her; the quiet ones stay away"

"I see... So, what about you three?" Yusuke ask us

"Us...?" I ask

"This is a great opportunity to get to know each other better" Yusuke said. "You know every detail of my past at this point. It's only fair you tell me every detail of yours"

"Ugh... You do have a point there" I said.

"So you got nothin' to lose, huh?" Ryuji ask. "All right, I'll tell you, but only if you two share too. And Kagura, don't give us the short version like before, give us something this time"

"... Fine. I'll tell you" I sigh and cross my arms. "So, start..."

"... My dad left when i was young... Ever since then it's just been me and my mom" Ryuji tell his story. "I was actually tryin' to get a track scholarship so I could make things easier for her. In the end, i just screwed it all up. Turns out I'm a pretty bad son, huh? Back when i was a first-year, my mom got called out to school for me raisin' my hand at Kamoshida. All the teachers kept houndin' her for what I did, but she just stayed quiet through it all... I'll never forget the look she had on her face though... On the way home, she apologized to me. For bein' a single mom and all..." I hear Ryuji's story... It was hard not to sympathize with him, we were almost the same. We didn't have a father, they just stand and leave... I understand how he must be feeling...

"So that's what happened..." Yusuke said. "They say at school that everyone is equal, but in reality, that's a gross oversimplification... I understand how you feel"

"Me too..." I found myself saying that out loud.

"You do...?" Ryuji ask. "What about you then...?"

"..." I take a deep breath and start the story. "Just like you, I don't have a father. My mom told me he just leave when she says that she was pregnant... He wasn't even her boyfriend... It was some random guy she had "fun" with one night. She raises me alone, completely alone. My grandparents didn't want to help her so she did everything she had in her power to make sure I was happy and wealthy... Even if it cost her her own happiness and wealth. Being a single mother at a young age wasn't easy for her and for me was worst when I was in middle school. My classmates avoid me, in the beginning, I didn't know why, but then i discover their parents told them to avoid me and that I was dangerous. The time passes and they start saying things like "You have no future" or "You are going to end up like your mother" or "You were an unwanted pregnancy". Those words hurt, but not as much when they insult my mother... The other parent calls her "whore" and they label me as a disease. After that, I stop carrying about that and ignore everyone around me... As for how I became a Phantom Thief. My mother owns money to a dangerous man, Takeshi Ogata and she ends up collapsing shortly after that. I felt impotent, I wanted to help her somehow, to show Takeshi that he couldn't do this to us... Then I enter the Metaverse. There I awaken to my Persona and stole Takeshi's heart. When he had a change of heart, I saw for the first time in my mother face a smile different from the others... That was hope, she saw hope... I'm a Phantom Thief because I want to give my mother hope, hope that the world is less horrible than she thought it was. I'm her hero... and she's my hero... for not giving up on me... To have me despite everything that happens in her life"

"You are very devoted to your mother" Yusuke said. "She's everything you have left what you could call family"

"Yes, it's only me and my mom, just like Ryuji... But sometimes i ask myself if she did the right choice"

"What do you mean?" Akira ask

"Sometimes I ask myself... " _Did I ruin her life?_ " or " _Would she have a better life if she wasn't pregnant?_ ". I can't help but keep asking those questions. She keeps saying I save her life... She might be right, before I was even born, she just jumped from man to man, chasing the ones with money or the best looks. She says that I change her completely..."

"You could say that you change her heart" Ryuji said. "It's sad though... Who your father is I wonder..."

"Who cares?" I said. "As far as I know, he is dead to me"

"Hey... We wanted to ask you about that Change of heart... You know, about that little girl" Ryuji said and I sigh.

"I saw you three on TV... So I knew it was inevitable that you'll ask... It started as a rumor. A police officer speak about the girl and how he believes that she kill her own father because nothing added up. Apparently, it was only him and the girl living alone in the house and they saw a box of rat poison in the trash, but everyone refuses to accept that the girl kills him. She looked and sound innocent, even I was doubting it at some point, but then I decide to put her name in the app and it pops up... Her Palace. I enter and what did I found...? An abyss" I keep telling the story and everyone listen. "The girl was completely twisted, the place was full of death traps, and torture gadgets... Her Shadow keeps going on and on about how her father kills her dog and abuse her mother until she leaves the house. She wanted to get back at him for so long... She starts killing animals with poison before she even tries to murder him... The worst part? She enjoys it. So I change her heart before something worst happen. She turns herself in and days after that... She commits suicide... You have no idea how devastated I was... I kill that girl, Ryuji. I did good, but i make her end her own life because she couldn't bear the guilt anymore..."

"... Sorry to ask. I'm not blamin' you, you did what you thought was right... Man, me too would've done it... Just... Don't blame yourself too hard on that" Ryuji said.

"I'm not blaming too hard... It's just... It depends on the person and how well they can manage the guilt... A little girl like her couldn't take it after her heart was stolen..."

"We now know that every time we go against a target, we have to keep in mind that even if we are successful, he might commit suicide if he can't manage it..." Yusuke said.

"Just like Kamoshida said... He said that he'll take his own life... Good thing he didn't" Ryuji sighs. "Still... Our past was bad, but when it comes to gettin' labeled, nobody's got it worse than Akira" Ryuji said.

"Now that I think about it, we never heard the details" Morgana said.

"Well... It's not something pretty..." Said Akira.

* * *

 _"Damn brat... I'll sue!" Yelled the drunk man grabbing his forehead. His hand hides most of his face. Akira was protecting the woman from the man that tries to get closer to them. He saw them arguing and the man tries to force himself on her. Akira step in, push him and he falls to the ground, hitting his forehead again the ground. The man was bleeding and the wound was in bad shape._

 _"No!" The woman said. "If you keep this up... Then I'll report about the money! Is that fine with you!?"_

 _"Money...?" Akira ask._

 _"You stay out of this!" The man looks at the women and smiled. "All I have to say is that you did it on your own, and it's over"_

 _"But... I just did as I was told..." The woman said._

 _"You won't get away with this!" Akira said._

 _"Who do you think I am, you brat!? You are done for, you hear me...?" The man look at the woman. "Hey... Make this statement to the cops... "This kid suddenly attacked me" Got it?"_

 _"What!?" Akira yell_

 _"If you even try to say anything else, you know what'll happen to you, right?" The man said._

 _"Huh? But-"_

 _"You can't be serious! She won't do that!" Akira said and look at the woman, but she was doubting. "N-No... This is bullshit!" Akira yell at the man_

 _"Shut up. You're done for! You're gonna learn what happens when you cross me..." In that moment the police arrive at the place in a police car._

 _"Excuse me, folks. We received a complaint about an argument here. Is something the matter?" One of the police officers ask. The man turns to him and his eyes widen. "Oh! It's you, sir"_

 _"You have to be fucking kidding me!" Akira thought_

 _"So, what happened?" The drunk man asked the woman. "Explain it to the good officer" The woman looks down for a moment._

 _"P-Please... Don't do it" Akira said, but she ignores him._

 _"T-That young man suddenly attacked him... He shoved this gentleman to the ground... And this man... got injured..." She was struggling to find the words to say... She didn't want to do as the drunk man say, but she had no options._

 _"It's as she says. Also... make sure you deal with this so my name isn't mentioned at all. You understand what that means, correct?"_

 _"Y-Yes, sir!" The officer agrees with him. He looks at the other officer, a rookie. "Hey, cuff him!"_

 _"... But he didn't..." The rookie officer didn't want to do it._

 _"Are you deaf? Do it, or you'll lose your job!" The officer said and the rookie grabs Akira's hands and cuffs me._

 _"N-No" He said. "I didn't do anything! I fall on his own, goddammit!" Akira tries to get away but both officers grab him by the shoulders. "Tell them the truth!" Akira yells at the woman. "Please, tell them the truth! I helped you! Tell them the truth!"_

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

We heard Akira story and it was completely unfair. He didn't deserve it, he did nothing wrong... But he had the bad luck to cross someone with power, enough power to have the police eating from the palm of his hand. Ryuji hit the table in anger, I was angry too and Yusuke as well. This was bullshit.

"Just listenin' to it pisses me off..." Ryuji said. "Goddamit! You got an assault on your record just for that?"

"The woman sounds quite horrible as well. She's stayed quiet this whole time" Yusuke said.

"That's the kind of person whose heart should be stolen" I said.

"I agree" Morgana said. "Who is he, and where can we find him!?"

"I don't know his name, it was never in the papers. Besides, he was covering his face the whole time because of the wound" Akira explain.

"The victim's personal information is always kept secret. Identifying that man will prove difficult" Yusuke said.

"Well it was at night too, so if you run into him again you might not recognize him at all" Morgana said.

"Not to mention that remembering face is a pain" I said. "Even if you see his face, as time goes by you'll forget it"

"Not only that, the courts already made their ruling, didn't they?" Yusuke said. "Even if we manage to get revenge, Akira's past record won't go away"

"I can't stand it! This world is so messed up!" Ryuji yell. "The weak're left to fight for themselves, while rotten adults get away with whatever they want!"

"And those in power don't do anything to help the situation" Morgana said.

"Yes... It makes you wonder when all went to shit, isn't it?" I ask

"Can't we fix this though? Nobody would even know... We just need to show the world that true justice is. We'll make them come to their senses" Yusuke said.

"You're right, Yusuke! That's gotta be what our powers're for!" Ryuji yell.

"Sounds good to me. The flashier our missions are, the cooler we end up looking!" Morgana said.

"It's always about looking cool to you, huh?" I ask

"You've all taught me so much" Yusuke smile. Ann gets up from the sofa.

"What're you guys getting all excited about?" She asks

"Oh, sorry... Did we wake you up?" Ryuji ask

"Nah, not really. I've been up for a while now. Still, this weird feeling came over me while I was listening to you all... It almost feels like I've known you all forever... Do you think it's because our backgrounds are so similar?" Ann asks and I start to think about it... She was right, we all went through shit and looks like that at the end of the day... It's only us against the world.

"Well... it sure ain't 'cause of anything good" Ryuji said.

"We are such a troublemakers" Akira said

"Similar, huh... I'm the only one who doesn't fit in..." Morgana said. "I don't have any past to look back on... No memories..."

"Whaddya mean? We could search the whole world and we wouldn't find a bigger misfits than you. And the reason we're goin' to Mementos is to get your memories back" Ryuji said.

"I'm sure your past will be just as troubled as ours" Yusuke said.

"No doubt" Akira said.

"Hmph, we'll see about that!" After that, we all leave the Cafe. As for me... I had to take Yusuke to my home, completely against my will. Mom was okay with it and I'm sure Yusuke won't do anything weird, Mom threat him after all. We arrive at the building in a couple of minutes, take the stairs to the fourth floor and open the door to my apartment. I let Yusuke enter and i close the door behind me. I take him to the empty room, I open the door and show it to him. There was only a bed and a closet, nothing else.

"I'll give you some sheets for the bed. The bathroom is next to my room and... I think that's everything" I said. "Seriously though... Don't cause me, and my mother, any troubles, I'm serious"

"I won't, don't worry about it. I'm grateful that she agreed to let me stay here for a couple of days until i find a place to stay... I'm sure this will make you feel uncomfortable, but i assure you that it won't. Don't worry about me at all"

"... If you say so. I'll take a bath, when I'm finished you can take one" I went to the bathroom and take a bath, i stay the bathtub for almost half an hour. The fact that Yusuke was here was weird, I feel weird... All this situation was weird. I might as well be dreaming, but it can't be. The hot water touching my skin was too real. I touch my stomach... My scar... It felt real, I wasn't dreaming. I get out of the bathtub and put on some clothes before going out. I put on a white sleeveless shirt and long black pants. I get out of the bathroom and knock on Yusuke's door. "You can use the bathroom, Yusuke" He opens the door and smile at me.

"Thank you, Kagura" He said and walk to the bathroom.

"Hey, I'm going to bed now, so make sure everything is in place when Mom comes back" I said.

"I will, don't worry about it"

"I see... Well... Goodnight" I said and go to my room. I close it and lock it. "Don't trust him enough to let my door unlocked"

* * *

 _ **6/12 Sunday**_

 **Yusuke's POV**

I open my eyes and found myself looking at the white ceiling of my new room. I get up and get out of bed. I walk to the door and get out of my room, I heard some sounds coming from the kitchen, i went there to see what it was and found Kagura making breakfast. She had her hair tied in a ponytail just like she have in her Metaverse outfit. She was making coffee and toasted bread. I watch her in silence, she was already dressed to get out. She was wearing a red shirt and a long black skirt with black boots. Looks like she tends to wake up early. She grabs her cup of coffee and takes a sip. Looks like she hasn't noticed my presence. I notice a different aura coming from here... One of pure blissful, she was enjoying her coffee and the peacefulness around her. I get closer to her and she notices me. She looks at me from head to toes and leaves the coffee on the table.

"Good morning, Yusuke" She said

"Good morning, Kagura" I said. "Did you sleep okay?"

"I'm the one who should ask that, you know... Anyway, I make you coffee and a toasted bread"

"Thank you so much" I said and the two of us sit down at the table to have breakfast. "It's really peaceful this morning, are you agree?" I ask and Kagura take her time to answer that

"You think so...? I feel it quite normal" She said and keep drink her coffee. I take a sip and felt just as good as the coffee at Leblanc.

"This is... delicious" I said.

"Thanks, Sojiro teach me well" She said. I felt like she was trying to avoid me, but she couldn't. "So... What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know, i was thinking on returning to the dorm, but I don't know if that's a good idea. I'll think about it more carefully and i'll let you know" I explain

"I see... Listen, today I'll go out for a bit. You can stay here if you want, but go in my room. I'll know if you step in"

"Don't worry. I won't enter" I smile at her and she gives me a weird look.

"Why are you smiling like an idiot?"

"Nothing, I notice that you are really calm during the mornings. Is the morning your favorite part of the day?"

"... It might be. It's silent, calm... Yeah, you could say that" Kagura stand up as soon she finished her coffee. She washes the cup and was ready to leave, but I stop her. I could tell that she was trying too hard to avoid me.

"Before you go, Kagura. I want to give you something. Wait here" I go to my room and come back with "Sayuri". I show it to her and she looked confused.

"Why did you bring "Sayuri"?" She asks me.

"I want you to keep it" I said

"Wow... Wait... Are you sure? I mean... It'd be a waste to give it to me, Yusuke"

"You all help me a lot, I can't thank you enough for what you all did for me. Now your mother accepts me here, I feel like I should pay you in some way..." Kagura seems conflicted and I don't blame her. I was giving her something personal.

"I... Are you really sure about this?" She asks me again.

"Absolutely"

"... Fine... I'll keep "Sayuri" with me... Thank you, Yusuke. It certainly is a beautiful gift" She genuinely smile at me. "Still... You won't paint me nude any time soon"

"I figured that much..."

* * *

 _ **6/13 Monday**_

 **Akira's POV**

The school was over for today. I had received a message of the group telling me to go right at the hideout after school. I get up from my desk and prepare to leave, but Kawakami got to me.

"Oh good, you haven't gone home yet" She said. "Niijima-san's looking for you. Could you head to the student council room right away? Looks like it's urgent"

"Did she tell you what she wants?" I ask

"No, she told me to look for you. Go to the third floor, she's waiting there" Kawakami leave.

"... This isn't good" I said.

"Niijima's the girl who keeps following you around, right?" Morgana asks and I nodded. I went straight to the student council room and when I enter the room was empty, only Makoto was standing in the middle of the room.

"Ah. Earlier than expected" She said. "Have a seat" She said and I seat on the chair next to the table. She sits at the other side of the table and looks at me right in the eyes. "I'll get straight to the point" She said. "Mr Kamoshida and Madarame. Won't you tell me the truth behind the Phantom Thieves' incidents?" She asks, but I didn't answer at all. "Can't answer that? Ah, of course. There's no way you would admit to such things" Makoto take out her phone. "Have a listen" She press play and I heard Ryuji's voice on the recording...

"But if someone else could help 'em, we wouldn't be doin' stuff as the Phantom Thieves to start with!" My eyes widen and in my mind, I only could say one thing... " _Dammit, Ryuji!_ " I wanted to scream that, but I remain calm... As calm as I could.

"So you think it's true...? We'll be OK if we keep doing this... right?" That was Ann's voice, she got recorded too. That's it... We are screwed.

"... What could all this mean?" Makoto ask

"We screwed up..." Morgana whisper

"Was it blackmail? Hypnosis? How do you corner someone into making them confess?" Makoto bombard me with questions. "Won't you tell me how you did it?"

"Why are you so sure that this recording is true?" I try to find a way out of this. "More importantly... What makes you think I'm involved at all?"

"You want to say that this doesn't prove anything, don't you?" Makoto ask. "I believe that you, Ryuji Sakamoto, Ann Takamaki and... Kagura Kobayashi are the Phantom Thieves" I could notice her voice trembling when she mention Kagura. "Now... what would the police think if they heard my recording? If you confess the truth, i don't mind just leaving this between the two of us... You'll tell me, won't you?"

"... I don't like to be blackmail, Niijima" I said and hear my phone ringing

"Go ahead, answer the call" She said. I put the phone closer to my ears and hear Ryuji. He was yelling and even Makoto could hear it.

"Hey, where you at? Takin' a leak? Let's meet up at the usual spot to hold our Phantom Thieves meetin'!" He yells and Makoto hear him... Everything was lost now. "Hm? Are you there?" I hung up and leave my phone on the table.

"Goddammit, Ryuji!" I said.

"As loud as always... but his timing's perfect" Makoto smile victorious

"You are enjoying this, aren't you?" I asks.

"A little, but i have a lot of question to you all. Won't you take me to your friends?" I sigh in defeat and take her to the hideout. We take the subway and went to Shibuya. When i meet up with the rest, Makoto was next to me.

"Hm?" Ryuji saw me with Makoto. "Wh-What the hell?" He asks.

"You screw it up, Ryuji!" I said. I look around and didn't saw Kagura anywhere. Makoto still suspect of her, so if we don't open our mouths about her, then she might save herself.

"Ryuji Sakamoto, Ann Takamaki... And you're Kitagawa-kun, correct? Second-year at Kosei High and former pupil of Madarame?" Makoto said. "I wanted to ask you all about this" Makoto take out her phone and play the recording again. For me, it was painful to hear at this point... I can't believe Ryuji screw it up this bad... We told him a number of times... "An extremely similar technique was used for both Kamoshida and Madarame... While those affected by their acts were just coincidentally meeting up... How could that not raise suspicions?"

"What do you intend to do?" Yusuke ask. "Have you come just to say you're going to report us?"

"You are doing this because the Principal told you to do it. The school can't have ties to criminals, after all! And yet they turn a blind eye when it comes to suicide and sexual harassment" Ann said. "Those adults are just using you. I feel sorry for you"

"... I know that" She said. "That's why I would like to verify the justice you speak of"

"What?" Ryuji asks we didn't know what she was getting at.

"I'm the only one who knows about you. If you prove what you're doing is just, i'll erase this"

"She wants to make a deal" Morgana said.

"There is someone whose heart I'd like you to change" Makoto said

"Who?" Yusuke ask without thinking about it first

"Hm, so you're not saying it's impossible. However... I cannot tell you that just yet. Let's continue our talk after school tomorrow. On the roof... Assuming you accept my offer, that is..." Before Makoto leave, she takes out her phone and shows us a picture of Kagura. "I want you to answer one last question... Is Kagura Kobayashi a Phantom Thief?"

"Huh? What you didn't know-" Ryuji ask and I cover his mouth.

"You moron!" I said

"..." Makoto's eyes widen and she looks down. "I see... So it was true then... I'll see you all tomorrow... Bring her with you... I need to speak with her... Face to face" Makoto turn around and leave. I stop covering Ryuji's mouth.

"Can you just keep your mouth shut for five seconds!?" I ask. "She didn't know about Kagura, she was only suspecting of her..."

"Oh, man. She's goin' to kill me" Ryuji said. "What are we goin' to tell her?"

"Why is it bad that she knows about Kagura too?" Yusuke ask

"Makoto is Kagura's best friend... Who knows what might happen... Let's talk about this elsewhere" I look around. "Where's Kagura?"

"She went to buy something on Shibuya... Ah, there she is" Yusuke point at Kagura that was walking with us with a white bag in her hands. She was smiling.

"I'm back, what did I miss...?" She asks and we didn't have the courage to actually tell her. "... What's wrong?"

"Umm, Kagura. You might want to sit down for a moment because..." Ann scratches her head.

"Makoto finds out about us" Morgana said.

"..." Kagura blinks a couple of times, she didn't react at all. "How...?" She ask

"She recorded Ryuji yelling about the Phantom Thieves" Morgana said and Ryuji hit my bag.

"You little!" Kagura walks to Ryuji and looks at him right in the eyes. "Uhh... S-Sorry"

"... What did I tell you, Sakamoto?" She asks with a quite voice. "What the FUCK did I tell you, Sakamoto?" She asks again. "You better answer me before I get mad and throw you out a window!"

"Y-You told me to keep quiet" Ryuji answer

"And what did you do...?"

"I yell... I'm so sorry"

"You don't get to be sorry... I could just break your jaw..." She said and turn around. Kagura takes a deep breath and lets it out. She grabs her chest like she was about to have a heart attack. "Let's go somewhere else... I need to calm down now, is going to give me an attack" We leave the hideout and went to a little restaurant.

"You were careless" Yusuke said. "I don't think you truly understood how high the stakes were. Anything to say, Ryuji?"

"I already say that I'm sorry... So... What should we do? She got dirt on us" Ryuji said. I saw Kagura, she has her face buried into the table. She was avoiding visual contact with us.

"A recording seems to be insufficient evidence though. And even with that, there's no way they could prove our methods" Yusuke said.

"Considering who we're dealing with, I think it might be a trap" Ann said

"Regardless, Akira would be in real trouble. He's on probation, after all" Morgana said. He was right, I was in the worst situation than them.

"Then... We have no other choice but to go along with it..." Yusuke looks at Kagura. "Is Makoto capable of handing her best friend right to the police?"

"I don't know..." Ann said. "Kagura...? Are you alright?"

"No... Leave me alone..." She said. She stands up and grabs her bag. "Sorry... I'm leaving, I need to be alone now"

"Wh-What? But..." Ann tries to stop her, but she leaves. "Kagura!"

"Leave her be" I said. "She needs to... For the time being, we know what to do and she knows it too. We'll meet Makoto tomorrow at the roof top"

"What about me?" Yusuke ask. "I could always sneak in if necessary"

"That'll draw too much attention. You should just wait outside, Yusuke" Ann said. I was worried about Kagura, but we should focus on Makoto tomorrow... I'm sure she'll show up with us.

* * *

 _ **6/14 Tuesday**_

 **Kagura's POV**

I feel horrible, really horrible, almost sick. I wanted to hit Ryuji so hard in the face and pull all his teeth, but no, I can't do it. Still, I will get him for this at some point. Now I had to go to the rooftop. Makoto has been avoiding me the whole class and i could feel the tension between us. I go to th third floor and found Akira, Ryuji and Ann there, they were waiting for me. They say hello, but I shake my head in disappointment. Now i didn't want to talk with them... I was pissed off, i couldn't even sleep thinking about what might happen today... I don't want to get in a fight with Makoto... I want to talk with her and see if we can get to a solution...

"A-Are you ready, Kagura?" Ryuji asks me.

"No... You three wait in the entrance" I said and that caught them off guard.

"But... why?" Ryuji asks me.

"I need to talk with Makoto... alone, now. You three are in my way... Leave" I said. "That's an order" It was the first time I give them an order in the real world, Ann seems a little scare and Ryuji didn't know what to do. "Are you deaf!? Leave!" I yell. Ryuji and Ann leave. Only Akira remain. "You too... Leave... Please..." Akira turns around and leave. I sigh and take a deep breath, I open the door and there she was... Makoto Niijima. Her eyes widen when she saw me, but try to regain her posture before i come in.

"Kagura... I was thinking you might not show" She said and I didn't answer at all. "So it's true then... You are a Phantom Thief... I wanted to believe that it was a lie... How foolish of me..."

"... Whose heart do you want me to change?" I ask I decide to right in the business.

"A mafia boss" She said. "That's what they call themselves at least. This group seems to be the cause of the rise in phishing scams. What's worse, once you're in their sights, they won't stop threatening you until they get what they want. They'll force you to take part in their scams, threaten you family, and ultimately destroy your life. It appears that their victims include some of our students... They primarily target juveniles" Makoto explain.

"What's the name of the boss?" I ask.

"Nobody knows. The victims are being threatened not to testify, so even the police can't get a grasp of the situation"

"... So you want me to start with nothing..." I said she was asking me a lot. Still, I know I will make it

"You should be able to pull it off... If you're really the righteous Phantom Thief... Or is Akechi-kun correct when he says you act without justice?" Makoto ask and i remember Akechi on TV, the way he speak about the Phantom Thieves, the way he think... He feel superior to us... Superior to me... He don't know me... And the way Makoto was talking to me... It was like i was talking with a stranger now and not my friend. "You believe that son of a bitch that badly, Makoto!?" I snap. "He doesn't know shit about me! I've doing this for a long time now. I do this because it's the right thing to do and i won't stay here while you talk me like i'm some kind of common criminal! I'm your friend, Makoto! Did you forgot that!? Did you forget the day you father died? We make a promise... Don't tell me you forgot it..." I yell at her and Makoto back away from me a little.

"... You have two weeks, Kagura" She said and my eyes widen. "Once that has passed, I'll submit all the evidence I have to the police and to the school" Makoto said and I look down.

"So if i fail... You are going to throw me to the police...? Haha... I wasn't expecting that from you, Makoto... No... Niijima. That's ruthless of you" I feel a terrible pain in my chest, it was like my heart was about to break. It hurted a lot. I wanted to scream, to shout for help... But no one will help me with this pain. "You are doing this because of that letter of recommendation? Fine... Then i guess it's more important your precious college than the friend that supported you all these years... The friend that was there for you when no one else did... The friend that promise to protect you from any danger"

"K-Kagura...?" Makoto walks toward me. "N-No... I..." Makoto didn't know what to say to me.

"... I'll change that man's heart, Niijima... But hear this... You stab me... And is hurting me... From now on you are on your own... We are not friends anymore" I turn around. "Don't you ever speak to me again... You are dead to me now" I get out of the rooftop and hear Makoto running after me. I go down the stairs and get out of school as fast as I could without drawing any attention. Akira and the rest were waiting for me at the entrance.

"That was fast... Hey, Kagura. How did it go?" Ryuji asks and I didn't answer him at all. I just grab my chest like I was about to have a heart attack and moderate my breathing. "Hm? Hey... Is something wrong? Does your chest hurt?"

"Kagura?" Morgana was worried about, just like the others. I didn't want them to see me like this... Weak. I don't want to show them weakness, not like this. I shake my head and stop grabbing my chest.

"... Everything is okay" I said and they didn't stop looking at me.

"Kagura..." Yusuke point at me. "... Are you crying?" He asks and I touch my face. I haven't notice at all the tears that were going down from my eyes. When I notice them i fall to my knees and cry in front of them...


	27. Broken Friendship?

**I took a break for a couple of day :D Anyways, I'll publish once a week now (or at least I'll try to), I'm going on vacations with my family so I'll update around that time. So that's that. Also, I wanted to thank you for the support. The story has around 11.000 views and that's insane for me.**  
 **If any of you by any chance is following my other Persona fanfiction, I'm thinking on either rewrite them or just leave them completely and that means erase them. That is why I want to know your opinion about those two fanfictions. Mainly because I hate to leave them hanging, but the fact that barely anyone is reading them is one of the reasons to end it or they'll go for a complete rewrite.**

 **So I invite you to give them a look and tell me... Should I rewrite them (without grammar error and a better story, that means a lot of changes) or should I delete them? Is up to you, leave a review to let me know. If I don't get enough reviews about it, I'll delete both and just keep writing this one.**

 **The name of the two fanfics** **are "Darkness around me" and "The Jester of the Family". I want your honest opinion. Thank you very much... Now the chapter :D Enjoy it.**

* * *

 ** _Chapter_ _26: Broken Friendship?_**

 _The room was in complete silence. Kagura mentioned Makoto and Sae didn't wait. She interrupts her._

 _"The student council president... from Shujin Academy?" She said. "Are you saying that Makoto was sticking her nose into this Phantom Thief business...?"_

 _"How oblivious can you be?" Kagura ask. "Don't tell me you never notice that?"_

 _"... Why would Makoto..." Sae looks at Kagura right in the eyes. "Bringing up my sister to upset me, are you? It seems there's no limit to your duplicity"_

 _"How many times do I have to tell you!? This is the truth and if you can't handle the fact that Makoto was involved in all this bullshit you can walk away for all I care!" Kagura yells at her. Sae avoids looking at her in eyes._

 _"... Fine... Go on..."_

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

We were on Kagura's house. We take her there because out of nowhere she starts crying. We were confused, but also we were worried about it, it was the first time we saw her cry or showing sadness. We all sit around the table, Kagura was sitting on the couch, watching the wall while grabbing her chest the whole time. It was like she was fighting to not have a heart attack, I was worried about her. We wait for her to say something. She then sighs and looks at us with a worried face.

"... Sorry for that" She said. "I can't believe I actually cry... I'm that weak?" She whispers

"Weak?" Ryuji asks and Kagura shakes her head.

"Forget that... Anyway... Niijima gives us two weeks to find a mafia boss. We have no name, no location, nothing at all. She wants us to change his heart because his forcing students to be part of a scam, once they agree, they can't get out of it, if they do, they threat them, their families and destroy their lives" Kagura explain and we all were surprised by the fact that something like that was happening.

"A mafia boss!? They are doin' that to the students!? What a piece of shit!" Ryuji yell.

"Don't yell here... Please" Kagura never say please, we notice her sudden change and decide to not make her uncomfortable. Besides, she was right, this was her house and we should not yell... Mostly because of the neighbors.

"S-Sorry about that..." Ryuji said

"Can we really do this...?" Ann ask

"Either way, we have almost no information on our target" Morgana said. "This guy's a crime boss, so I wouldn't be surprised if he had a Palace. Still..."

"Isn't this a prime opportunity for us though?" Yusuke ask.

"How!? We're in huge trouble!" Ann said. "We have no information and on top of that we have a deadline!"

"Listen. Even after we punished an evil man who seemed to be good, the public did not acknowledge us that much. On top of that, most of them are treating us like criminals. However, if we take down an actual criminal, let alone a target the police don't have answers for..." I knew where Yusuke was going with this.

"Oh, right! That makes people believe in us!" Ann said.

"I get it! That means even Akechi'll hafta acknowledge us as the Phantom Thieves!" Ryuji said.

"Our time limit is two weeks" Kagura said. "We can't waste too much time. We need a name... So you four better start looking up starting tomorrow"

"I'll ask around Kosei and see if there are any victims" Yusuke said.

"Ok, I know some girls who go to Shibuya pretty often. I'll check with them about it" Ann said.

"I'll ask around the school" I said. "There might be someone who knows something, if the don't tell me, I'll find a way to make them talk"

"All right, then I'm gonna see what I can find on the net" Ryuji said. "What about you, Kagura?"

"... I'll ask around Shinjuku" She said.

"Shinjuku?" Ann ask. "Why there?"

"Mom told me that a lot of Yakuza walk around that area, both during the day and night. I might find something interesting there" She explains.

"... Sorry to ask this but... Why were you crying?" Ryuji asks and Kagura looks away. She didn't answer. "It's fine if you don't want to talk about it"

"Is there going to be any different if I tell you or don't?. It's my own goddamn problem, Sakamoto! Not yours or the Phantom Thieves, but my own..." Kagura looks down, hiding her face. "... But I know that you'll keep asking and it'll be a pain so... Niijima is not my friend anymore. Right now, she only cares about that stupid recommendation letter and she doesn't have any problems to hand me to the cops for it... I can't believe I waste my time with someone like her..." She said between sobs, she was fighting the urge to cry again. "I'm better without her... I've always been"

"I'm so sorry to hear that" Ann said. "But You don't need her, you have us"

"She's right. We'll be your new best friends" Ryuji said.

"... That's not helping at all, Sakamoto" She said

"What? You are not calling me Ryuji anymore?"

"After that stupidity you did? No, deal with it..." Kagura stands up. "I need some time alone. Can you all leave?"

"What about me?" Yusuke ask.

"Take a walk for a while. I really need some time alone" She was really serious. We nodded and leave the apartment. Kagura closes the door behind us and we went to the street.

"I feel so sorry for her..." Ann said. "Losing a friend is awful, more if they were friends for a long time..."

"We should leave for now" Morgana said. "We'll start investigating tomorrow, so you better be prepared. Don't worry about Kagura. I bet tomorrow she will be better"

"I hope you are right..." I said and leave with the others.

* * *

 **Yusuke's POV**

I went to take a walk after Kagura ask us to leave. I went to Yongen-Jaya and spend some time with Akira, we talked about random things for a while and I even express him my concern about my artist block that I have from time to time. He offers to help me if I wanted and I accept his offer. Now another thing was on my mind in that moment. Kagura, I didn't want her to be sad or feel weak like she said. I go back to her home after an hour. I had the keys so I didn't need to ring the bell. When I enter I didn't find her in the living room or the kitchen. I walk to her room and knock the door.

"Kagura, are you there?" I ask and she opens the door after a couple of seconds. She looked tired. "How are you feeling?" I ask, she looks down and then looks at me.

"I'm better" She said. "Only a little tired"

"Do you want me to make dinner for you? I'm not the best chef, but I know to cook at least" She looks at me from head to toe and sigh.

"Don't worry about dinner, I'll make it" Kagura get out of her room and walk to the kitchen.

"I'll help you" I said and follow her. She shrugs and let me help her with anything she needs. We end up eating hamburgers because she wasn't in the mood to cook something complicated. While we were on the table I saw that she barely touch her dinner. "You can talk to me, you know? If you are still worried about Makoto, you can tell me" Kagura ignores me. "You feel betrayed, I know how you feel"

"... Because of Madarame?" She asks.

"Yes. You should stop worrying about this. It only hurt you more"

"I... know, but I can't Yusuke" Kagura didn't know where to look at, me or the wall. "I've been Makoto's friend for years, more than four years. And now is over... I might've been too tough on her in the rooftop, but I was angry. She treats me like I'm some kind of criminal, she even mentions Akechi. She gets on my nerves and I yell at her. I wish to turn back time and act more mature, but in the end, I let my emotions to control me" Kagura look at me in the eyes. "Can I ask you a question, Yusuke?"

"Sure..."

"Do you think I'm too emotional?" She asks me. I answer her question without thinking.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean it's a bad thing. I knew a lot of pupils of Madarame that were too emotional as well and they often get angry when they had a block. It's not bad to be emotional at all. It might be an aspect of you that need work, but it's not something you should be worrying about too much" I said.

"I see..." Kagura takes a bite from her hamburger. "Thanks, Yusuke..."

"You are welcomed..."

"Starting tomorrow... We'll do over best to find that mafia boss. Our freedom depends on it"

"Literally" I said. "If you ever need to talk about something, I'm here to hear you out"

"Thanks..."

* * *

 ** _6/15 Wednesday_**

 **Makoto's POV**

I can't describe how I feel, I just can't. A lot of emotions are invading my head at the same time, fear, anger, sadness, etc. I don't know how to feel. I saw Kagura cry from the entrance, I never saw her cry, never. I'm starting to question myself if what I'm doing is good, but I need to know what they are doing is right. If they do this, if they change this person's heart, then I'll know... But at the same time, I'll feel stupid for doubting her, on top of that I lost her friendship. She was there for me when I need her the most when my father died she promise me that she'll do anything for me, that she'll protect me and stay by my side... But now she thinks I'm betraying her and she's not wrong. What kind of friend am I? I screw this up.

I couldn't sleep that night, when i get to school in the morning i was tired. I went to the classroom and wait for Kagura to show up, i wanted to talk to her, i feel the guilt eating me from the inside. I wait, but she didn't showed up at all. She didn't come to school until the third period. When she enter the classroom, everyone start whispering, but she ignore them and just look away. After school, Kagura stand up and leave the school very quickly. I decided to follow her. Today i didn't have anything to do in the Student Council so i was free. Kagura get out of school and went straight to the station. She took the subway and i follow her very close. After almost half an hour we ended up in Shinjuku. I was surprise to be here, i never set foot in this area. The neon lights were too bright that they almost blind me. I ignore all the signs and people and focus on her. Kagura stop in a corner and i hide behind a sign in the street. She look at her phone and wait for something. I saw an adult standing next to her. He was wearing a black over coat an a bussiness suit, he look at her and the start a conversation. I get closer to them to hear what they were saying.

"I never expect to receive your call, Kobayashi" Said the man. "What do you need?"

"The usual. I want to know about some "shady" business taking place in Shibuya" Said Kagura. The man takes out a little notepad. "Supposedly the mafia is involved..."

"You can discard the Yakuza. They don't touch Shibuya, they have a rule. If a mafia is involved, then it's a small group. As far as I know, there are people offering an "easy" part-time job. They target high schoolers, they give him envelopes or bags and make them deliver to someone. They force them to keep doing the job, on top of that, if they try to get out they threat them and force them to pay big amounts of money" The man explained. "I think there's no need for me to tell you what is in those envelopes..."

"Drugs"

"Yes... I've been hearing rumors in January, but they stop being rumors when you hear it from everyone here. Unfortunately, i don't have the name of the boss, I'm sorry, Kobayashi"

"It's alright. This is something useful, I only need a little of information to start digging deeper" Kagura smile at the man. "Do you have anything else?"

"No, but this is an advice... Be careful. You might be a Phantom Thief, but you are still a high school girl" When he said that, my eyes widen. This man knew that Kagura was a Phantom Thief... How?

"I know... Anyway, if that's all..." Kagura takes out twenty thousand yens and give it to him. "Thanks for a moment of your time, Kanzato-san"

"You can call me Shin. After all, I should be more thankful to you, Kagura. I don't need the money, keep it. Call me whenever you need something from me" Shin Kanzato smile at her, turn around and leave. He disappears into the crowd. Kagura sighs and keeps the money. Kagura walks back to the station and I follow her. I wanted to speak with her, but something was stopping me, fear. I was afraid that she wouldn't accept my apology. While I was on the train that takes us to Shibuya, I decided to go out of the train and stop following her. There was no use if I wasn't going to speak to her. I knew that if I do, I won't be able to speak properly to her. All this was a waste of time...

* * *

 _ **6/18 Saturday**_

 **Akira's POV**

After a couple of day of not getting any good information and walking around in circles with the same information we all have from different sources, we decided to contact the journalist that wander around Madarame's house. She give me her card so i send her a message. Today she contacted me and told me when she could meet with me. A place called "The Crossroad Bar" it was in Shinjuku and she told me it only opens at night. She want to meet me today. I decided to talk with the rest and let them know. To be honest, i didn't want to go there alone.

" _The journalist contacted me. She want to meet tonight in Shinjuku_ " I wrote

" _Shinjuku at night, eh?_ " Ryuji wrote

" _That sounds rather dangerous_ " Yusuke wrote

" _Where should we meet up?_ " Ann ask

" _Stand by, Ann. It'll be easier to move around with less of us_ " Ryuji wrote

" _My apologies. I don't have the money to take the train there_ " Yusuke wrote

" _Then you're on standby too_ " Ryuji wrote. " _Me and Akira will go, OK?_ "

" _I'm going too_ " Kagura wrote

" _Huh? Why?_ " Ryuji ask

" _Do you know Shinjuku? You'll get lost. I know the place like the palm of my hand... Where is it, Akira?_ " Kagura ask

" _The Crossroad Bar_ " I wrote.

" _I know where it is. I'll take you there. Just follow me and don't wander off_ " Kagura wrote

" _If Kagura's going, I guess there's no need to worry. We'll leave it to you three then_ " Ann wrote.

" _Well, I guess that's that. Let's meet up in Shibuya_ " Ryuji wrote. I get out of the chat.

"I should change before going. It will be weird to go with my uniform" I said

"Good idea" Said Morgana. "I'll wait for you outside" I change my clothes with the usual clothes i wear to go out, a white shirt and blue jeans. I go outside and Morgana get inside my bag. We take the train to Shibuya and find Ryuji near the station... He was using his uniform.

"Are you for real?" Morgana ask. "You're still in your uniform!"

"Huh? No choice. I didn't have the time to go home. People aren't gonna notice anyways with this t-shirt over it" Said Ryuji, he had a red t-shirt, but those pants give him away. Kagura join us, she didn't have her uniform. She was wearing a red shirt, a black jacket on top and a long white skirt with a pain of black boots. She look at Ryuji.

"You have to be kidding me, Sakamoto" She said and shake her head. "Ugh, if you get caught i'll turn around and leave you behind"

"Don't worry about it. That place ain't so different from Shibuya" Said Ryuji

"... You have no idea" Kagura sigh. "Alright, follow me" She said and we follow her to the station. We take the train to Shinjuku and once we step outside the station we couldn't look away from the neon signs blinding us.

"Whoa... Even at night, this place is bright as hell!" Said Ryuji

"No kidding... It's hurting my eyes" I said

"Alright, Crossroad Bar's right up ahead from here. Just follow me and we'll be alright" We follow her and while we were walking to our destination, a Bar Promoter talk to Kagura.

"Welcome to our izakaya! How 'bout some all-you-can-drink booze on the cheap?" He ask

"Sorry, but I'm busy right now" She smiled at him. "Maybe next time" She walks away and we keep following her. A Patrolling Officer saw us and stopped us.

"Are you a student? You shouldn't be out this late" He said to Ryuji.

"What? No, no, noooo. I graduated a loooong time ago. We're adults, y'know!" Said Ryuji.

"I've seen the pattern on those pants before" Said the Officer. "That's a school uniform"

"Shit!" Said Ryuji out loud. Kagura sighs

"You kids have got to be high schoolers! Come with me!" Said the Officer, but Kagura steps in.

"They are with me, Officer Ikari" She said and the Officer cross his arms.

"Well, well, well, Kagura. It's been a while since I saw you around here. Are you going to see your mother?" He asks.

"Actually, yes. We were going to the Crossroad Bar. They just wanted to come because they were worried about me. We are friends" Kagura explain.

"Oh, I see. Still, you three shouldn't wander around for too long. Hurry up and go, I don't want you or your friends to get in troubles, do you understand?" Said the Officer.

"We understand. We'll be careful, come on, let's get going" Said Kagura and we follow her again. We stop in front of the bar.

"What was that, Kagura?" Ryuji ask.

"Hm? Oh, I know some people here, including Patrol Officers. Mom works in that bar, so I get to know people from time to time. That's why i told you i was coming with you, i knew that something would happen" Kagura explain. "Anyway, we are here. Let's go inside" Kagura enter first and we go behind her. Inside the place felt completely different from the other places I've been before. The smell of alcohol was all around the place, but mixed with a nice perfume. The pink lights give the place a weird atmosphere. Behind the counter, there was an old man dressing as a woman, a lot of bottles could be seen next to him. Near him, there was a familiar face... It was Kagura's Mother, Naomi. She was talking with the journalist.

"Welcome!" Said the man. "Oh, Kagura. It's been a while. Look at you, you are the exact copy of your mother"

"If that's a complement, then I accept it, Lala" She said. "This are my friends, Akira and Sakamoto"

"You still won't call me for my name?" Ryuji whisper.

"Shut up..." She whispers at him. Naomi looks at us and smile.

"Kagura, did you come to visit me at work?" She asks.

"That and Akira need to talk with a journalist" She explained.

"That would be me" Said the woman that was talking with Naomi. Ichiko Ohya, the journalist we meet before. "Lala-chan, I'm gonna borrow the seat from the back. Come with me, I'll treat you some water. Is your friend coming too?"

"Yeah, I also wanted to hear" Said Ryuji.

"Good, follow me" Ohya take us to the back and we take seats next to her. Kagura stays behind with her mother. The place was empty, which makes it more easy to talk.

"Ugh, she reek of booze..." Morgana whisper from the bag.

"Still, this is a surprise. I thought you were joking about this, yet here you are" She said and laugh. I could tell she was almost drunken, but still coherent. "I respect that bravery, so I'll listen to what you have to say. Well, what do you want to know?" She asks. Me and Ryuji nodded and I ask.

"Who controls Shibuya?" That question takes her completely by surprise

"Oh..." She said. "Why that?"

"We need intel from their boss" Said Ryuji

"Hm..." Ohya was debating if she should say something or don't. She looked at us for a while. "Well, I do happen to know something about that. I could tell you, but..." Before saying anything else, she takes another sip from her glass. "Do you know the Phantom Thieves of Hearts? You know, that case the public has been focused on lately. I was pursuing the issue of people randomly entering into a shut-down state, but I'm lacking intel... That's why I'm currently looking for new material to write about. So, do you have any info on these Phantom Thieves?"

"Oh, so you want info on the Phantom Thieves, then you'll tell us" Said Ryuji.

"Basically... You two are from Shujin, right? I remember you wearing the uniform the last time we met. And you are still wearing it... I bet you have a death wish for simply walking around here with that on. People here could take advantage of you. Keep that in mind the next time with walk around here"

"Y-Yeah"

"So, do you have anything on the Phantom Thieves? Considering what happens on your school" Ohya ask

"Well, we do have info about them" I said. "What do you want to know?"

"I know when they started and their target this far, but i need information about some of the victims of this targets and I'd like to get some exclusive coverage from a student who suffered Kamoshida's abuse. I would love an introduction if you know of someone who fits the bill" Ohya explain. "After all, it seems like handling this matter in the open would be an inconvenience to us both..."

"We know someone" Said Ryuji. "His name is Mishima, not only that, he's kind of a fan of the Phantom Thieves, so he'll give you some info you need"

"It's a deal then" Ohya smile at us. "Send me your friend contact info later... Now that I think about it, those mental shutdowns and the Phantom Thieves both seem supernatural... Could they be related...? Or am I just hoping for a coincidence...?" She whispers. "Oh, sorry. I have a tendency to talk to myself on occasion. Well then, you two can't exactly consider this an upfront payment, but... His name is Junya Kaneshiro. I think he's probably the guy you're looking for. All the information I have about those things happening in Shibuya point at him. You should check him out further if you're curious... but I'm not responsible for what happens next"

"We understand" Said Ryuji. "Thanks for the info. We are leaving now" Ryuji give her Mishima's number and we walk away, we didn't saw Kagura at the counter. I saw her mother cleaning the counter a little and got closer to her.

"Where's Kagura?" I ask.

"She's waiting for you outside. She told me you were only here to ask something to Ohya..." Naomi stops cleaning and looks at us. "Now then... What are you three up to?" She asks with a big smile on her face. That smile was the sweetest smile I've seen in my life and it was starting to freaking me out.

"O-Oh, Umm, we were actually..." Ryuji didn't know what to say. "Dude, say somethin'!" Ryuji whisper at me.

"We want to know about some weird people in Shibuya. We are actually worried, we keep hearing about the mafia and we wanted to know who we need to avoid" I said an almost believable lie. I couldn't come up with anything else.

"Is that so...? I know you are lying, the fact that it doesn't match what Kagura told me, lead me to believe she's lying me too" She said, her smile never leave her face. "I'll let it pass... For now. I just want something from you in return"

"What is it?" I ask.

"If Kagura gets in any trouble, I trust you and the rest of that little group to help her. I want you all to keep an eye on her. I know she's on to something lately, I don't have time to follow her around, that's why I want someone to keep her away from troubles... Can I count on you two for that?" She asks us.

"You are trusting on us?" Ryuji ask. "Why? We are high school students in Shinjuku at night asking questions to a drunken journalist. I wouldn't trust me" Ryuji had a point.

"Easy. You are Kagura's friends. She doesn't have any friends besides Makoto... Lately, i'm seen her more... lively and active. On top of that, she has more friends now. I like that. That's why I want her friends to be there for her, to help her when I can't... In a way, I want her to be surrounded by friends, I want her to have what I didn't have in high school. I didn't have friends and when I stumble and fall to the ground, no one gives me a hand, they just ignore me and step on me. I want you to give her a hand, to support her... If you three are involved in something i want you to promise that you won't do something stupid. I know it's not drugs, if so you'll be more careful, but the fact that you are still wearing your uniform means that you might be up to something, but not dangerous enough to worry about the police... That, or you are just an idiot"

"I get that a lot lately" Ryuji said. "Mostly from your daughter"

"If I have to guess... You are planning on doing something to someone... Maybe... Stealing something" She said and our eyes widen. I had a feeling that she knows.

"Wh-What? W-We are..." Ryuji was nervous.

"I was joking of course" She said and we sigh. "You two seem like the kind of people I can trust. If life teaches me something, is that I can tell when a person is trustworthy, and you two are. Just make sure to not screw things up... I leave Kagura in your care" Naomi smiled at us, this time it was a genuine smile. That smile reminds me of the one my mothers used to give me when I was little. Everything and everyone stopped again, I was the only one moving. A card form on top of Naomi's head. The card showed a woman wearing a golden mask and unknown creature was behind her. The woman had the world on her hands. I hear the same voice as before in my head.

 ** _I am Thou, Thou art I..._**

 ** _Thou hast acquired a new vow._**

 ** _It shall become the wings of rebellion_**

 ** _that breaketh thy chains of captivity_**

 ** _With the birth of the Aeon Persona,_**

 ** _I have obtained the winds of blessing that_**

 ** _shall lead to freedom and new power..._**

Everything returned to normal and Naomi starts cleaning the counter again. "I hope to see you two again some day. Keep up the good work" She smiles at us and we leave.

"What do you think, Akira?" Ryuji asks me as soon we get outside

"About what? Naomi?" I ask

"Yes, she knows we are on to something, but she's lettin' us go, just like that. It doesn't make any sense... Unless..."

"Unless what?" Morgana ask.

"Do you think she knows about Kagura being a Phantom Thief?" Ryuji asks and I didn't think about that possibility before, but when she said stealing, something told me that she might know. "I mean, the way she said "Stealing"... Don't you think she knows? Kagura's been doing this for years now, I think she discover it for a while now"

"Kagura's Mother seems... More intelligent that she looks like" Morgana said

"I know, right? Maybe we can... ask her"

"And how?" Morgana ask. "Are you going to say... "Hey, did you know your daughter was a Phantom Thief for all these years?" That will be stupid. What if she was only playing a prank on us?"

"I know... But what if she wasn't? What do you think, Akira? Does she knows?"

"Well... If she knows, then she trusts Kagura enough to let her keep doing it. If that's the case, then she must be thinking that we are helping her on that" I Said

"Well, she's not wrong about it... Anyway, let's leave it for later. We need to go with Kagura and leave Shinjuku. Now that we have a name we need to see if we can enter the Palace" We found Kagura in the middle of the street, waiting for us.

"What took you so long?" She asks. "Do you have something?"

"We have a name" Said Ryuji. "Junya Kaneshiro"

"Good, we go to Shibuya tomorrow and go to the Palace" She takes out her phone and open the app. She enters the name and like we expected, it was a hit. "Now we are talking"

"This is a huge catch! I'm so pumped!" Ryuji yells and gets some unwanted attention.

"Oooh, a real huuuge catch, you say? I'm getting pumped too" Said a man. We turn around and saw two men that were clearly... Not interest in womens. They saw Ryuji and walk right at him. "What a cutie! And so muscular too. I give you an 85 out of 100"

"Gah! Wh-Who are you?!" Ryuji was panicking now

"Gwahahaha! I'm the naughty troll of Shinjuku and I'm going to eat you up!" He said and grab Ryuji's arm.

"H-Hey, Wait! Lemme go!" Ryuji yells as the two men take him away. "Dude, help! You two can hear me right!?" Ryuji begs me for help, but the situation was too hilarious.

"Show them your inner man, Ryuji" I said.

"I'm happy you finally accept that part of you, Sakamoto" Said Kagura.

"You two are going to leave me here like this!? C'mon!" He yells while he was being dragged away. "Gaaaaaahhh!"

"... Come back alive" Morgana said.

"If he doesn't, we can always visit him" Said Kagura. "Let's get back for now"

* * *

 _ **6/19 Sunday**_

We gather in Shibuya, near the statue of Hachiko's statue. I was the first to appear, Kagura comes later with Yusuke, later was Ann and last... Ryuji. He was pissed off. I could tell. "I can't believe you guys ditched me yesterday! I almost entered a world I want nothing to do with!" He yells and Kagura laugh.

"What're you talking about?" Ann ask

"Nothing!" He yell. "Just forget about it!"

"... Did you enjoy it?" Kagura ask

"You shut up! Let's just get this over with" Said Ryuji and Kagura takes out her phone.

"Alright, just like we saw yesterday, there was a hit in the nav" Kagura explain. "We are almost there"

"All we need now are the two other keywords: What he thinks of as his Palace, and where it is" Said Morgana. "But we don't have any clues other than people falling victim around here. We'll just have to try whatever keywords we can come up with"

"Urgh, that's gonna be impossible. How many buildings do you think there are in Shibuya?" Ryuji complain

"If we can figure out what the Palace is, we may be able to guess where it is by association," Said Yusuke.

"Hmmm... It's prolly somewhere he's got complete control over... Maybe a garden?" Ryuji asks and the Nav didn't react.

"A garden... Really?" Kagura ask. "Think harder"

"He likes money, so... what about a money bath? I've seen people online with things like that!" Said Ann.

"... A money bath?" I ask. "That not a... Never mind"

"Well, you are right about the money... What about a mansion? It's luxurious enough" Said Kagura and the app didn't find anything. "Hmmm... Akira, any thought?"

"... Money... How about a bank?" I said and we find a hit.

"Good, we have the distortion, now we need the place..." Said Kagura.

"So, he thinks of somewhere in this city as his own bank" Said Yusuke

"I thought it'd be something less realistic. That's all it is, huh?" Ann ask. "Maybe it's a real bank"

"His cognition wouldn't be distorted in that case" Morgana explain

"Maybe his own hideout..." Said Ryuji.

"This may be difficult to explain... but doesn't it seem we're thinking a little too inside the box?" Yusuke ask. "Palaces emanate a passionate madness... It feels as though we're missing that aspect"

"What are you talking about...?" Ryuji asks.

"This Palace is a bank for someone who extorts money with criminal acts, it's something more..."

"Oh! I get it" Said Kagura and look at the nav. "Let's think outside the box... A place he thinks as his own bank... The victims... It only centers in Shibuya..." Kagura sigh. "I got it... "All of Shibuya".

"Candidate found... Beginning Navigation" Said the app.

"It's a hit!" Said Ryuji and we were taken right to the Metaverse. We instantly change into our outfits and end out in a distorted version of Shibuya where the skies were black and money was falling from the sky.

"Is this money?" Kagura asks and grab it. "A five thousand yen bill... It will obviously be fake if we take it with us"

"That or it will turn into something else" Said Ryuji.

"What are those!?" Ann yell and we look at the Central Street. People were replaced by Walking ATMs.

"Now that bizarre" I said.

"Walking ATMs... That must be his cognition of people" Said Yusuke. "So this is what Kaneshiro considers as a "bank"..."

"I never thought it would be the entire district" Said Morgana.

"This means his distortion is affecting the whole of Shibuya. Only a few people could do this..." Said Kagura. "Kaneshiro might be dangerous, so be careful"

"Let's focus on finding Kaneshiro's location and stealing his Treasure as soon as possible" Said Yusuke and we enter to Central Street. No matter where we look at, there was a lot of ATMs destroyed in the middle of the street, it was like they have fallen from somewhere, we couldn't talk to any of them at all.

"This is horrible" Said Ann.

"What happens to them?" Ryuji ask.

"I don't know, but we need to- Ahhh!" Kagura screams when something hit the ground next to her. It was an ATM, it falls from the sky and smashes again the floor. "Holy Shit! That scares me!" She yells and looks up. "... That Son of a bitch, Look!" She points at the sky and we saw the Palace. It was a floating bank, like and UFO. It was sucking the money that was in the air.

"Is that it!?" Ryuji ask

"Up in the Air... No wonder we couldn't find it" Said Yusuke

"So, how do we get up there?" Ann ask. "Can you turn into a helicopter, Morgana?"

"No... just a car" Morgana look at Kagura. "Can you take us there?"

"Hmmm... It's really high, but I'll see if I can get in first" Kagura summon Kuma Lisa. "Wait here" She said and Kuma Lisa uses her gravity power on her. Kagura fly right at the Palace, but from the looks of it, she couldn't go inside. She comes back shortly after.

"What happen?" Ryuji ask.

"Well, first of all. I can reach the Palace, but I can't go inside" She explains

"You can't" I ask

"It's like... an invisible wall surrounding the Palace. I can't get in" She said.

"This may be the limit of what we can do today" Said Yusuke.

"Even if we get up there, we have to find a way to enter." Said Ryuji.

* * *

 **Makoto's POV**

I was having dinner with my sister today. There was a complete silence in the table, I was barely touching my food. I had a lot to think about, a lot. Kagura, the Phantom Thieves, the problems at school... I was tired. I even start to question myself, if what I'm doing is right.

"... I've been thinking lately" I said and my sister looks at me. "About those Phantom Thieves, I mean. If Dad were still alive... Sorry, I... I shouldn't bring this up while we're eating"

"It's Ok. Keep going" Said Sae

"I just wonder if he would've been on their side... That's all..."

"The only reason you have time to think about that is because you depend on someone else" She said and that catch me off guard.

"That's not-"

"You don't have to do a single thing, and you're provided with food, clothes, a home... I've had no time to think on such ridiculous thoughts. Would Dad have been happy with them? I don't care! He died upholding some lofty sense of righteousness, leaving all his responsibilities on us!"

"A-All I was trying to say was-"

"You spend too much time with Kagura, I bet she's forcing all those kind of things on you! You don't need to get involved with her or anyone that will only drag you down. Isn't it time about you grew up and acknowledged our situation!? Right now, you're useless to me!" She yells at me. "All you do is eat away at my life" I stand up and go straight to my room and close the door. "Makoto!?" I could hear my sister's voice while she knocked the door, but I didn't open. I sit next to the door and cover my face with my hands. I try me best to not cry at all, but those words were still in my head.

"I'm not useless..." I whisper. "I'm not..."

* * *

 _ **6/20 Monday**_

 **Kagura's POV**

Shortly after school we gather in Shibuya and try to find a way to get in the Palace. It was the first time something like this happens. Maybe it had to do with his cognition. We can't enter if he doesn't allow us to enter. At least I think that's the case. I explain to them what I think it was the problem.

"I thought the same thing" Said Morgana. "We might need to talk with Kaneshiro"

"If only we could contact the real Kaneshiro" Said Yusuke. "Hm?" Yusuke looks away. We all saw Niijima walking toward us. I just turn around and ignore her.

"What do you want?" Ann ask her

"Nothing in particular. I just saw you all together here" She said

"That so?" Ryuji ask. He was a little angry

"You seem to be having quite a bit of trouble" Said Niijima

"So you're here to check up on us?" Ann ask. "You may be the student council president, but when it comes to what we do, you're useless" She said and that surprise her.

"Useless...?" Niijima ask.

"To be frank, yes" Said Yusuke.

"Just stay on your high horse and watch. Or do you wanna eavesdrop, since you're so good at it?" Ann ask.

"... Kagura..." She calls my name, but I ignore her, I didn't look at her. "... So you wish to get in contact with Kaneshiro"

"Something like that" Said Akira

"Hey, you don't gotta answer her honestly!" Said Ryuji. Niijima look down and whisper

"I'm not useless..." She whispers, no one hears her, only me. "I'll help you meet Kaneshiro" She said and leave. The thing she whispers earlier was bugging me... "Useless". Did someone call her useless?

"What exactly is she planning on doing?" Yusuke ask.

"She had a dead-serious look in her eyes..." Said Ryuji.

"Does this mean she has an idea as to where Kaneshiro may be?" Yusuke keeps asking.

"I highly doubt that" Said Ann

"I didn't like her stern face" Said Morgana. They were starting to make me nervous. I knew Makoto could be impulsive from time to time... This was one of those times. She was about to do something, I knew it. I wanted to ignore her, but I know that she will do something. It was starting to eat me... A little voice in my head was bothering and keep repeating the same thing "Go after her before you regret it"

"What should we do?" Akira asks and I scratch my head, annoyed.

"What a pain in the ass!" I yell and walk away.

"Kagura!? Where are you going?" Yusuke ask.

"Just look for her before she do something stupid!" I yell and we all run to Shibuya. Morgana get out of the bag to search for her, but the Central street was full of people.

"There are way too many people here!" Morgana yell.

"We're never gonna find her!" Said Ryuji. Akira's phone ring and he answer. "Who is it?"

"Listen" He said and we all listen. It was Makoto's voice.

"Do you guys know Kaneshiro?" She ask and a man respond.

"What?"

"I heard i could find someone named Kaneshiro if I came to Central Street"

"That moron!" I yell and run away.

"Wait, Kagura!" I hear Yusuke voice but it disappear in the crowd.

* * *

 **Makoto's POV**

I was in front of two men. The surely know where Kaneshiro was, i hear a lot of rumor about this place in Central Street, this is where all happens. Kurusu was recording the conversation, so we might have some evidence.

"What're you getting at?" One of them ask me

"He's blackmailing the students of Shujin Academy, is he not?" I ask. "Tell him if he doesn't want me talking to the police about it, he'd better agree to meet with me" Both man look at each other and the man with piercing in his hear threat me.

"You got a death wish or something?" He ask

"Wait... Maybe we can arrange something" Said the other man. He take out his phone. "Yes, it's me... We have a situation here... A girl wants to see you... She knows about our "job"... I see" He hung up. "He say he'll meetcha. The car is at the end of the alley. We'll take you to him" He grab my arm and take me to the car. When they throw me inside, i saw someone at the other side of the alley. It was Kagura, she looked surprise, but then she got angry. The man drive away and i lose sight of Kagura... I start to regret this decision...


	28. Pinky Swear

_**This was shorter than I was expecting. I didn't have enough time to write to much, but the next one will be because you all know what is coming next, don't you? XD**_

 **Anyway, I've decided to rewrite "Jester of the Family" and I'm actually debating if it should have the same name because I'm starting to make a lot of change in that story. I'll let you know later. As for "Darkness around me" I don't know if I should keep writing it. I'm starting to lose interest. What do you say? Should I rewrite it as well or delete it? Let me know.**

 **Again, sorry for the short chapter, I'm doing some work now. And for those how are asking, I'll update every Wednesday. Keep calm and wait :D**  
 **Enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 27: Pinky Swear**_

 _It was raining in Tokyo, the rain was so bad that no one was visible outside. Makoto Niijima was alone in her room, looking at her father's picture. His funeral was just five days ago and she couldn't stop thinking about him, she stops attending school. She was alone in her home now, Sae was taking care not only of her job, but also with some cases that her father left behind that she felt that she need to do. Makoto was laying in her bed, with her face buried in the pillow when she hears the ring bell. She didn't want to get up and answer the door at all, mostly because told her to not open the door when she was out. The person rings the bell every 5 seconds and Makoto couldn't take it anymore. She gets up from her bed and opens the door without asking who it was. As soon she opens the door, Kagura jump at her and hugs her. That was a huge surprise for Makoto, she falls to the ground and Kagura ends up on top of her._

 _"Ka-Kagura?" She asks. "What are you doing!?" Kagura looks at her in the eyes and Makoto noticed the sadness in her eyes._

 _"I was worried about you!" She said. "You didn't come to school and when I hear that your father die... I needed to see you" Kagura stand up. "Sorry to jump at you... How are you feeling after that?"_

 _"Not so good... I'm not in the mood, Kagura. I need some time alone" Said Makoto._

 _"Are you sure that that's what you want? It's been five days, I think it's enough time to be alone. I'll drag you to Shibuya, there's a huge sale in the bookstore. Mom gives me money, let's go" Kagura insist on going to Shibuya, but Makoto didn't want to. She wanted to stay inside the house._

 _"I won't go out, sorry," She said and look down. Kagura sigh. "I said I wasn't in the mood"_

 _"Then I guess I'll stay here with you," Said Kagura with a little smile. "I brought you all the homework, we can do it together if you want... I just want to spend time with you, Makoto. You are worrying me" Makoto look at Kagura right in the eyes, she could tell that she was sad, not only that, she was obviously worried about her, but now she didn't want her near._

 _"Thanks for the homework," Said Makoto. "Now leave..." She was about to close the door in her face, but Kagura stops her._

 _"I'm not leaving you alone, Makoto"_

 _"I said leave!" Makoto yell. "I don't want to see anybody!"_

 _"You lost your father, I know that. I don't understand how you must be feeling right now, but closing yourself in this place won't solve anything! It's been five days, I could accept a day, but five!? I think is time for me to intervene"_

 _"Kagura... Don't make it more difficult, please, leave..." Makoto looks down and avoids eye contact while trying to close the door-_

 _"I'm not leaving. You are my friend and I don't plan on leaving you with your misery" Kagura punch the door. "Please... If you close this door in my face, I will come back again for you... I'll come every single day for you" Makoto's eyes widen, she knew that Kagura cares about her, so much that she refused to abandon her in this hard moment she was going through. She also knew that Kagura will come every single day if she must. In the beginning, when she meets Kagura for the first time, she didn't expect her to become her best friend at all, she saw her as some kind of rival, they discuss every time she scores of the exams comes out and how one is more intelligent than the other, but that eventually lead them to become friends. If she closes this door, right now... She'll regret it. She needs someone to talk to, someone to rely on, someone she could trust... Sae wasn't there for her right now and maybe she won't be... But she can count on Kagura, she can count on her friend when everything is dark._

 _"Are you serious, Kagura?" She asks. and Kagura nodded._

" _You are my friends, and friends have each other's backs,_ _" Said Kagura and Makoto were about to cry._

 _"I... I'm sorry, Kagura, but... But... I miss my father so much... I want him back... I want my father back..." Makoto starts crying and Kagura hugs her. "Please... Don't leave me. It hurt, Kagura. I don't want to feel this pain ever again" Makoto hide her face in Kagura's shoulder. "I wish that he comes back home like nothing had happened. I want him to spend time with me and Sae... I want to talk to him again, to tell me that it was just a nightmare and everything it's alright"_

 _"... It's alright, Makoto... Everything is going to be alright... I promise you that from now on, everything will be better. Your father might be gone, but you still have me, Sae and my mother to support you... As long as I'm with you, I'll make sure of it. I won't abandon you, I'll do everything I can to help you and make you happy... That's a promise, Makoto"_

 _"You promise...?" Makoto asks and Kagura raises her hand, showing her the pinky finger. Makoto smiles and entwines her pinky finger with Kagura's. "Yes, I promise that I will never abandon you, no matter what happens. You have my word that you can always count on me, Makoto. For everything... If I ever break this promise, then I'll cut off my finger and I'm serious about it"_

 _"... That taking it too far... But I'm glad you are serious about never breaking the promise... You know, as long we are together, I think everything will be alright..."_

 _"And it will... Now stop crying. Your father didn't want you to be crying and stop going to school. Think about your future"_

 _"My future...?"_

 _"You have a bright future up ahead, Makoto. It's better if you focus on it and make your father proud"_

* * *

 **Makoto's POV**

"So... you're seriously the student council president of Shujin" Junya Kaneshiro ask me while the men that bring me to him push me against the ground. Next to him, there was a young woman. We were inside a club, I couldn't see it very well from the outside, they keep my head down at all moment and as soon we enter and I saw Kaneshiro, they hit me and push me against the ground. "You know what happens to anyone who snaps at me, don't you?" Kaneshiro looks at my phone, at the last call I've made. "So, whose number is this? Your boyfriend?" He laughs. In that moment, the door open violently and Kagura enter the room. She was breathing heavily and sweating. She looks at the scene in front of her and her expression was both of surprise and anger.

"Who the fuck are you!?" One of the men that were grabbing me yell. "How the fuck did you enter here!?"

"It's a club, you moron, not your goddamn house!" She yells "What the fuck are you doing to her!? Let Makoto go!" Kagura yells at them.

"Ohhh..." Said Kaneshiro, a little impressed of Kagura. "You got followed, you dumb shits! You two are useless if a girl followed you that easily... But I'm impressed that you made it this far. How did you get in here? This is a private room"

"It was easy to find you, looks like everyone here knows you... So I said I know you personally and everyone points at this room... So you are Kaneshiro?" Kagura walks toward him and stopped in front of the man that was pushing me against the ground. "Let her go, or I'll break your legs," She said with a menacing voice to the man. He let go of me.

"You have a death wish or something!?" The man yells at her. "I won't let someone like you talk to me like-" Kagura punch him in the face as hard as she could, then grab him by the shoulders and kick him in the stomach. The man falls to the ground easily. Kagura didn't stop there, she grabs a bottle whiskey that was on the table in front of Kaneshiro and breaks it. Kagura grabs the man's hair and aims the broken bottle to the man's throat.

"No... You are the one who has a death wish, asshole. If you lay a finger on her again, I will kill you" I stand up and walk away from her. I could tell that Kagura lost her patience. Not only that, she was serious.

"That is enough!" Kaneshiro yells at Kagura. "We can talk like civilized people here. There's no need for you to kill one of my men... Only I get to do that" Kaneshiro stand up and take out a gun and shoot at the man in the head. I jump at the sound of the gun, Kagura did the same. That took us all by surprise, Kaneshiro doesn't really care about his men at all. He then opens the briefcase in front of him, showing us a lot of money, more that 10 million yens. He turns to the woman next to him. "That bag you saw the other day... the crocodile one. How much was it?" He ask

"A-About three million?" She said, nervously. Kaneshiro gives her the money. "F-For real!?" She asks and Kaneshiro nodded.

"You know... I'm royally pissed right now" Said Kaneshiro to Kagura. "Can you tell? It's all because of you, bitch. You make me kill one of my men... You know how spending money helps to relieve stress?"

"What are you getting at, you Fat Bastard!?" Kagura yell.

"See this empty space? I'm pissed that now there's a three million yen gap here" Kaneshiro point at the briefcase. "It pissed me off even more if I don't fill it up. I'm a perfectionist... So, good luck"

".. The fuck?" Kagura asks and Kaneshiro takes a picture of her.

"Come on, you look so tense, girl" Kaneshiro smile. "I think I'll call it... "Debauchery of a Minor at a Club" So, can I send this to your school?"

"That's..."

"Oh, damn, I got booze and cigs in the shot! Maybe some drugs too? Not only that, you have a little of blood in your clothes... Ahh... This is so hilarious"

"Are you kidding me!? I'm going to kill you!" Kagura walk to him and Kaneshiro point his gun at her. She stops as soon she saw the gun.

"I feed on dumbshits like you, sweetheart... Understand? Now listen up. Run your mouth to the police, and I'll break you, starting with your family. I want to give you the usual months, but well... You make me kill a man... So three weeks. Bring three million yen by then. No less. Summer bonuses are around the corner, you know? It'll be easy if you beg you mommy and daddy" Kaneshiro laugh at her. I couldn't stand it. He was making fun of our situation, not only that, he didn't have any problem to pull the trigger. "Now get out of my sight. I'm about to have some fun" Kagura take a few steps away from him and let out a sigh of frustration.

"Makoto... Let's go" She said. I nodded and follow her outside. Kagura went for all these troubles because of me. Not only that, she put herself in danger for me. That tells me that not only she cares about me, but I'm important to her. When we get out of the club I saw her bike next to the door... She follows us on her bike, that's why she was breathing heavily when she enters the room. Kagura takes her bike and looks down for a moment, her uniform has a little of blood from the man Kaneshiro shoot. "Shit... I hope I don't get in troubles for this" I mutter. I walk next to her and touch her shoulder.

"Kagura... I'm so sorry" I said. "I didn't mean to drag you in like this... I was stupid"

"Of course you were!" She yells at me and pushes me away. "What were you expecting!? To meet this guy and just convince him to stop what he's doing!? What the fuck were you thinking!? Putting yourself in danger like that! You are not like that!"

"B-But..." I was trying to talk back, but I couldn't. My words got stocked in my throat. I finally let my voice out. "I wanted to be useful... To you... To Sis... and everybody else"

"If you wanted to be useful, you could've done something else, not this bullshit!" She keeps yelling at me and I didn't say a thing. I remain quiet while she keeps yelling. I feel like I have no right to talk right now. "Now we are both in serious troubles... Not only us, but our families..."

"I'm sorry... I just felt useless... I wanted to be useful, that's all... And... and..." I felt a Knot in my throat, but I let the words out, it didn't matter to me anymore. "I didn't want to lose you! I want my best friend back..." I yell. Kagura raise her hand and I close my eyes, I thought she was going to hit me, but she didn't. I open my eyes and saw her hand in front of me... it was closed and she had her pinky finger pointing at me.

"... Do you remember the promise? That if I ever break it, I'll cut my finger... I was serious about it, but I didn't do it because I still had hopes that if I change Kaneshiro's heart, you and I are going to go back being friends... Still, I'm the one that should apologize, not you. I was such a bitch in the rooftop, that could've come out different, but I get so mad that I throw our friendship out the window" Kagura smile at me. "I'm glad that you are safe now and I'm keeping my promise, Makoto..." I raise my hand and entwines my pinky finger with her's.

"I'm sorry for this, Kagura... But I'm also grateful that you didn't abandon me. I have the best friend I could've asked for in the whole world" I could see that Kagura was blushing.

"... That's too corny, even for you, Makoto... But it's okay... I guess" We let go of our hands. "Now then... I feel that I shouldn't be keeping any secrets from you... That's why I want you to come with me"

"Where are we going?" I ask

"To change Kaneshiro's heart" Kagura smile at me. "I'm not planning to pay him that money, that's why I'll change his heart before the three weeks pass... I think that thanks to you, we might have an opportunity" I didn't understand what she means by that, I was confused.

"What do you mean by that...?"

"You'll see soon enough"


	29. It's always about money

_**I'm back! Did you miss me? Admit it, you miss me XD I had to take care of some things. Anyways, here's the update. Also, the Rewrite of my Persona 4 fanfic is out so if you want to check it out...**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 28: It's always about money**_

 **Makoto's POV**

Me and Kagura came back to Shibuya. She did her best to hide the blood she had in the uniform and luckily for us, no one notices it. Of course, I help her to hide it. In Shibuya, we reunite with the rest of the Phantom Thieves and Kagura explain to them what happens with Kaneshiro. She told them everything. I was not proud of what I did, Kagura was right, it was stupid and I should've thought before doing it. We gather in a corner, away from the people. Sakamoto sighs and scratches his head.

"Well... You two got in a pretty mess" He said. "So... What's the plan?" He asks Kagura.

"We go now" She and that takes everyone by surprise.

"What? Why?" Ann asks her. "You said we couldn't enter the Palace"

"Palace...?" I ask, but no one answers me. I didn't know what they were talking about. Kagura told we were going to steal Kaneshiro's heart, but she didn't told me more than that.

"True, we couldn't..." She said with a smirk. "We can now"

"What do you mean?" Akira ask.

"We couldn't enter the Palace, even if we fly toward it. But considering that me and Makoto become his... "Source" of money. We might have a chance to go in" Kagura explain. I was lost and she didn't explain to me what we were going to do.

"Because of Cognition and all that?" Ryuji asks and Kagura nodded.

"Wait, if that's true... Then only you and Makoto will be able to enter the Palace" Said Yusuke Kitagawa. Kagura looks down for a moment.

"Yes... If that's the case, then I'll have to do this the old way... Going alone. Makoto doesn't have a Persona, but I still want to show it to her. We are in this together, so I think she has the right to see it at least"

"To see what?" I asks.

"You'll see"

"Are you sure about this?" Ann ask.

"Yes, i mean. She knows we are the Phantom Thieves. If she learns about the Metaverse it won't make any difference at all" She said. "Besides... I think she earns it after risking her life"

"You have a point there. I'm not against the idea... What about the others?" Ryuji asks and the rest agreed too. Ryuji then takes out his phone. "All right, are you all ready for this?" The Phantom Thieves nodded to each other. I give them a nod too for whatever they were going to do. He taps his phone and our surrounding start to distort. Everything around me turns purple and the world before me change drastically. We were in Shibuya, but a weird version of it. Money was falling from the sky, the clouds were dark green and there was... Walking ATM. This was definitely weird. I turn around and saw Kagura and the rest of the group dress in weird costumes and wearing masks.

"A canine!?" I point at Kitagawa's mask.

"It's Fox..." He answers.

"Be quiet. The Shadows are going to notice us" I hear someone's voice. I look down and saw a black cat walking on two feet and had a cartoonish form.

"A monster cat?" I ask. I actually didn't want to say monster, but it came out.

"I'm noooooot!" He yells. "How many times do I have to tell you guys I'm not a cat!?"

"... You are a cat in the real world" Said Akira. He was wearing a black trench coat and a white mask.

"That's Morgana, the cat that was in Akira's bag. This is what happens when we come here" Ann explains.

"Takamaki...? Where are we?" I ask and look around once again.

"We're inside Kaneshiro's heart. His distorted vision of the world, how he truly sees it" Kagura explain to me. Her costume was very impressive. She was wearing a Red top hat and a long red hair that was tied in a ponytail, she was wearing a white Cravat blouse with red Cravat tie, a black and red vex skirt with black tights and black high heels boots. She had a long dark red scarf around her neck and a white mask was covering all her face, the mask has a Clown's makeup with a creepy smile painted in black across her mask and black tears. "This is the Metaverse"

"Meta... verse?"

"It's might take some time to explain it properly" Kagura sighs.

"It's another reality in which Kaneshiro's distorted desires have materialized" Kitagawa try to explain it to me, but I was having problems to believe it and understand.

"Another reality?" I ask and look up. I saw some kind of weird UFO with a bank on top of it. "That thing it's floating in the air!" I point at the UFO. "My goodness..." I take a deep breath and calm down. I close my eyes and open them after a couple of seconds. Everything was the same. "I'm sorry, it's just... But since this really exist, I can't doubt it... I mean... I'm seeing it, not only that, this feel real. Even that money that is falling" I grab the money, it feels real. "A reality that one's heart shows... Is it like the application of optical illusion in social cognitive psychology?"

"Kinda" Said Kagura. "It's not that hard to understand either. Let me explain..." Kagura and the rest of the Phantom Thieves explain to me how this world works, what there's in it, Shadows, Personas, Palaces and the Treasures that they steal... They're hearts. "I see, so "stealing one's heart"... that may be like overwriting their cognition" I said and Kagura smile and nodded. "I think i kind of get the logic behind it"

"You understand it perfectly, Makoto" Said Kagura and smile at me.

"Then, does that mean there's an ATM version of myself somewhere in this world too?" I ask and I was genuinely curious about it. I wanted to actually see it.

"Perhaps" Said Morgana, the talking cat. "Regardless, we can change Kaneshiro's heart and make him confess if we steal his Treasure"

"We need to see if we all can get inside" Said Kagura. "If not... Wish me luck, guys"

"You are going to go alone?" I ask her. I was not going to let her go alone, not after what happens. I'll help her in everything I can. "I'll go with you"

"You don't have a Persona, Makoto" She said. "Shadows will tear you apart"

"You know that I've trained in aikido, right? I can defend myself" I said.

"I know and I know you are good in it, but keep in mind these things aren't humans..." Kagura crosses her arms. "Although... If we are Kaneshiro's source of money... We might skip the battle and go straight to the Treasure. If we are lucky then we'll shut walk in the front door. Still..." Kagura takes out a big weapon and gives it to me. It was like a revolver. "This is a .600 Nitro Express Magnum. It's a model gun of course, but here enemies will believe it's real because how realistic looks like. It will blow someone's head off, it helps if you can use aikido to defend yourself"

"Thanks" I take the magnum and hide it.

"Good, now let's see if we can enter" We walk down the street and saw the UFO landing in front of us. Just like Kagura expect, only us could enter the bank. An invisible wall stops the rest to go any further. Akira and the rest of the Phantom Thieves stay behind while we venture inside. We enter the bank and two guards stop us from going any further. Kagura put her arm in front of me in a protective manner.

" _What business do you have here?_ " The guard asks us.

"We are one of Kaneshiro's customers" Said Kagura. "We'd like to speak with the bank president"

" _Excuse me, but do you have an appointment?_ " The guard asks. I was about to take out the gun Kagura give me, but a voice stops me. It was Kaneshiro's voice coming from the speakers.

" **Let them pass,** " He said and the guards get out of our way.

"That voice... It's Kaneshiro" I Said

"Come on, let's go" Kagura grab my hand and the guards guide us to the room Kaneshiro want us to be. They were stopping us for going anywhere else. I saw Kagura's hands reaching her swords, if we were going to a trap, she'll be ready, and so I am. We enter the Reception Office and we saw a mountain of money resting on a table.

"Holy Shit" She said. "I'm tempted to grab it all, but it will useless in the real world"

" **Unauthorized entry, property damage, and other disturbances. That comes to three million yen in total. You're here regarding that, correct, Miss Beautiful President?** " We turn around and saw Kaneshiro on a monitor. He was different from the Kaneshiro in the real world. His skin was purple, he was wearing a gray business suit and his hair was combed, unlike his real version, he also had a little mustache. " **It must be quite tough gathering so much money. I'd be willing to give you a loan, you know** "

"Screw you and your loan" Said Kagura. "We don't need your pity"

" **I don't think you have the right to talk back at me... Kagura Kobayashi-san** " He said and Kagura's eyes widen in surprise, just like mine. " **Oh, you thought I didn't notice... I knew your mother, and of course, i knew you because of Takeshi. You might be hiding behind a mask, but that hair gives you away. When I saw you enter the room, your mother come back to my mind** "

"Takeshi...? You worked with Takeshi?" Kagura asks.

"What are you talking about Kagura?" I ask, but she didn't answers. Kaneshiro smile.

" **Let me tell you, I don't forget a face... Especially the face of one of Takeshi's whores** " He said with a big smile, from ear to ear. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I saw Kagura and she was about to lose it. She grabs her swords.

"The fuck did you say about my mother!?" She yells at him.

" **It's true, he even let us have a little "fun" with her after he finishes. Even I had my way with her-** " Kagura destroys the monitor with her swords. I could see the anger behind her mask.

"Fuck you! You heard me!? I'm going to kill you!" She yells while hitting what was left of the monitor. I take a couple of steps away from her.

" **Ohh, there's no need for you to get that angry at me. If she hasn't done it, you won't even be here. You'll be in the streets, or worse. She sold herself for money, because of you. That's a loving mother... Now, you'll do the same if you don't want her to suffer for that awful debt of three million yens** " Kaneshiro keep talking through the speakers. " **Young women are so useful. They lack physical strength and are dumb. It's as if they only exist to be devoured by the strong. That just might be the rule since the dawn of history** "

"Shut up! I'll rip your heart out!" She yells at him. "You hear me!? You'll pay for what you did! I won't let you get away from this!"

" **Don't make me laugh, you petty thieves!"** Said Kaneshiro and a big group of guards enter the room. They turn into monsters in front of us. " **Anyone will do anything for money. I'll rob you of your lives as easily as I breathe air** " The monsters went after Kagura. She grabs her mask and it consumes in blue fire.

"Slaughter them, Kuma Lisa" She said and a Persona appears above her. An anthropomorphic fox wearing her same clothes appear. The Fox clicked her fingers and the monsters in front of her were smashed against the floor, turning them into black goo. Kagura saw more enemies running to the Reception Office. She grabs me by the arm and runs away. We run and Kagura brings her Persona again to clean our path. "The security is rising! At this rate, we'll not only be outnumbered, but I won't be able to protect you if they attack you" She explained. A group of guard ambushes us and Kagura destroy them with her Persona. "I can take them out, but my stamina will run out really fast. We need to retreat for today" Kagura take me to the front door and a guard comes out from the ground and hit Kagura right in the stomach. "Argh!" She falls to the ground and a lot of guards appear, they surround us. They grab me and throw me away from them. They gather around Kagura and start hitting her with their sticks and their fists. Kagura yells in pain. She told me that Persona User have weaknesses and her weakness was physical... Meaning that any punch she receives will be causing a great pain on her, much greater than a normal punch. I only could see how they punch her, she tried to summon her Persona, but they grab her arms and keep punching her. I take out the magnum she gives me and shoots at one of them in the head. My target disintegrates, but the others keep ignoring me.

"Get away from her!" I yell

" **You two seem to be in quite a pickle** " Kaneshiro appear behind me. I turn around and saw him with another group of guards. " **It's time for her to disappear** " Kaneshiro clap and more guards appear. " **Managing a bank is tough. That's why I make it a case to kill troublesome customers. Having one impertinent brat disappear is enough to set an example in that other world... It's such a shame, she's such a beauty** " Kaneshiro look at me. The guards stop hitting Kagura, they grab her and throw her beside me. She coughs blood and she was covered in bruises. She was trying to get up, but it was useless. She was in pain now.

"No! Kagura!" I kneel in front of her and grab her in my arms. "Kagura, hang in there, please"

" **Such a shame... But you... Makoto Niijima. You still can be useful to me, unlike this thief!** " Kaneshiro kicks Kagura in the face and knocks her out of my arms.

"Stop it!" I yell and aim the gun at him. I pull the trigger, but no bullets come out of it.

" **Ah, what a shame, Niijima-san... You know, your sister is quite a beauty. I'll make sure to make her my personal slave** " He said and I drop the gun.

"My sister...? How did you know about her!?" I yell at him.

" **I know a lot of things, Niijima. And once I get bored of her, I'll just sell her off. Oh, poor Sis... She could've been successful, if only her younger sister wasn't so dumb** "

"My sister has nothing to do with this! Leave her out of this! And Let Kagura go!"

" **If that's so, then you better start taking customers tomorrow. To save your sister and your friend... All you have to do is endure it and do as you're told** " He said with a twisted smile. My hands were shaking, I was scared of this place, scared of the situation a get myself in. Not only that, I drag Kagura on this too and she got hurt. Why am I that weak? That useless... No... I'm not... I can't be.

"Endure it... Do as I'm told..." I whisper.

" **You'll earn three million yen in no time. Although your life and everything along with it will be a complete wreck by then! Gwahahahahaha!** " He laughs at me. He laughs at my misery. He laughs at our situation. He thinks our despair is funny. I won't let him get what he wants.

". _.. I promise you that from now on, everything will be better. As long as I'm with you, I'll make sure of it. I won't abandon you, I'll do everything I can to help you and make you happy... That's a promise, Makoto_ " I could hear Kagura's promise inside my head. I remember that day like it was yesterday. She promised me she will help, protect me, make me happy. But not anymore... Now is my turn to help her... I will prove that I can completely stand for myself, I don't need anyone to defend me. This time I will be the one that defends you, Kagura.

"I've been listening to you go on and on..." I have reached the limits of my patience. I had enough of all this. I just want to let it all out... And I will. "Shut your damn mouth, you money-grubbing asshole!" I yell.

" **Huh?** "

"I won't let you do whatever you want with us. I had enough of this, I had enough of playing nice..." I could feel a spark of energy coming out of me. I could hear a voice, a woman's voice inside my head.

" ** _Have you decided to tread the path of strife...?_** " She asks me with a calm voice.

"Yes..." I said. "Come to me!" I yell.

" ** _Very well. Let us proceed with our contract at once_** " She said and a sudden pain appears inside my head. I grab my skull in pain and I feel the pain becoming more and more intense by the second. It was like something was trying to break free from inside me. Something crawling in my skull that wants to get out at all costs. I make my best effort to withstand the pain. My legs wanted to give in and fall, but I didn't do it. I force my body to keep standing, I was the one in control. I must be the one in control, I won't let it get to me. " ** _I am Thou... Thou art I... You have finally found your own justice... Please... Never lose sight of it again_** " She said and I let out a scream, followed by a loud stomp of my foot against the floor. My foot breaks part of the ceramic tiles. I feel something forming in my face. When I touch it, I notice that it was some sort of mask. " ** _This memorable day marks your graduation from your false self..._** " I grab my mask and rip it out with such force that my skin was ripped as well. I scream and I burst into flames. When it was over, I found myself riding a motorcycle. I knew it wasn't a motorcycle. I felt different, more free, more stronger, more powerful. I look at Kaneshiro with determination.

"I can feel it..." I said. "My "self"... Me...! Gun it!" I drive at full speed at the guards in front of Kaneshiro and hit them. They fall back and Kaneshiro was now nervous.

"Damn you...! Kill them both! Starting by the bitch in the floor" He yells and points at Kagura, who was still on the floor, but this time she was looking at my with wide eyes. The guards jump at her, but she could summon her Persona and destroy them in mid air. "All of you are useless, kill them!" More guards appear and surround us. Kagura stands up, despite her wounds.

"You won't get away of this so easily, Kaneshiro" She said and prepare to fight.

"We'll go full speed, non-stop!" I yell. "Let's go, Kagura!"


	30. The Bank of gluttony

**Lately, I've been thinking about the DLC for Persona 5. Some of them are funny, like the maid costumes (especially Morgana XD It's cute and funny). I'm seeing if I can fit one or two in the story. I didn't buy any of the DLC because I think I'm better without them, but sometimes** **I just want Thanatos and Messiah because they look badass. Magatsu Izanagi too. (Now that I think about it, they could've added Personas from Persona 2, like Apollo, and Revelations, like Amen-Ra. They deserve more** **recognition** **)**

 **Anyway, Enjoy it**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 29: The Bank of gluttony_**

 **Kagura's POV**

I stand up, but all my body hurts, a lot. I could barely move now, i was lucky that i could summon my Persona just now. I feel the blood in my mouth and i spit it out. Every muscle felt sore, i feel tired and if i take another step, i'll fall to the ground again. Makoto drive around me and i saw a bright light surrounding me. She was healing me. Almost immediately i feel much better. The bruises disappear, but i still could feel some pain in my ribs.

"Are you alright, Kagura?" Makoto asks and I smile at her.

"Of course. Thanks to you" I look at all the Shadows in front of me and count them. There were at least fifteen and more were coming. My stamina was low and the only thing that i could do was kill half of them. Lately i feel like the Shadows are getting stronger. Some of them i can't kill them in one blow. For example, the one in front of me. The biggest of the guards turns into a demon warrior. I calm myself for a moment and turn to Makoto. "Take care of the ones behind us... I'll take care of the ones in front of us and the big one too"

"Can you do it?" Makoto was worried. "You look tired"

"I can... Kuma Lisa! light them up!" Kuma Lisa throw fire at the Shadows in front of me, but they didn't look hurt at all. After all, it was a Maragion skill. I need to conserve my stamina. I jump on top of Kuma Lisa and jump at the Shadows with my swords in my hands. Some of them take a defensive pose and the rest attack me with their weapons. I dodge some of them in mid air and stab one of them in the neck. I landed on the floor, my hand still grabbing the sword stabbed in the Shadow's neck. I put all my strength in my arm and launch the Shadow again a smaller group of Shadows. I take a quick look at Makoto, she was using Frey skills against the Shadows and that proved to be useful. I focus on my fight. The biggest Shadow, a Floodbringer Demon try to hit me with his naginata. I block him with my swords and i feel weaker by the second. He was pushing me against the floor. The Shadow raise his fist and was about to hit me in the face. I was about to summon Kuma Lisa again, but Makoto appear out of nowhere and hit him in the head with Johanna. Makoto landed on the floor with her Motorcycle Persona and the Shadow fall to the ground, but stand up shortly after. I sigh and decide to use all my stamina and end it now. We need an opening and the entrance was blocked.

"They keep coming... You can still fight?" Makoto ask me and I just shake my head.

"Prepare. I'll kill them and when it's over, sped up to the door. We are getting out of here" I explain. "Stay with me, or you'll be hit too" Makoto stay near me and I summon Kuma Lisa. I raise both my hands and every enemy around us float. It was like I feel every Shadow in the palm of my hands, I had them all in my power. I clap my hands and the Shadows crash against each other. Some of them crash against the walls and fall to the ground. Some of them die, others fall unconscious. More guards appear and I get in the motorcycle with Makoto. "Now! Go!" I yell and Makoto speeds up against the entrance. She breaks the door and she drives outside the Palace where everyone else was waiting for us. She stops right in front of them and Johanna vanish.

"What the hell!?" Ryuji yell. "Were you driving a bike just now!? Don't tell that's your Persona!?"

"You have a problem with that?" Makoto asks with a serious tone. Almost threatening.

"N-No ma'am" He said.

"We should leave for now" I said. "The Security is off the roof" I feel a sudden pain in my ribs and fall to my knees. "Agh! Dammit, that hurts a lot!" Everyone gather around me and Morgana was the first on showing his concern.

"Kagura, Are you alright? How bad is it?" He asks.

"My ribs hurt... I don't but... I think I have one of them broken. Can you do something about it?" I ask.

"I'll see what I can do" Morgana summon Zorro and heal me. I no longer feel pain. My ribs were better than ever, but I still felt sore. I need some rest now.

"What happened there?" Yusuke asks. "We try to find a way in, but we couldn't walk in the front door. That invisible wall didn't let us go through" He explains.

"There no other way in from the sides. It's completely sealed" Said Akira. He saw Makoto in her outfit and smile at her. "So... She awakens her Persona, huh?"

"First the Shadows kicked my ass" I said. "I let my guard down and they took the advantage..."

"This is bad. If only you and Makoto can enter, then there's no chance you get out in one piece" Said Ann.

"It's okay, Ann. I've been doing this alone before. It can be done..." I look at Makoto. "The two of us can do it"

"We should go back for now" Said Makoto and we all leave the Palace. I took them to my apartment, where we could talk calmly and no one would listen to us. We all sit in the table and discuss our options. While we do that, Makoto and I felt tired. Makoto because she just awakens her power and me because a group of Shadows beat me up and almost kill me. It will be a reminder to never let my guard down, even if I'm being driven by anger.

"This is the most exhausted I've ever gotten these past few years..." Makoto whispers. "But... It felt pretty great"

"You took it like a badass" I said. "Most of us just fall to the ground because of the pain" I explain. It's very painful when a Persona User is awakening, but Makoto managed to withstand the pain.

"Hahaha, thanks. Also, my outfit does give a cool aura"

"Cool can't describe it" Said Ryuji. "Ms. Post-Apocalyptic Raider... That can be your Code name"

"... Do you want to get smacked?" Makoto asks and sighs. "... I never thought I'd become part of the Phantom Thieves i was after. Sis might faint if she found out"

"I think she'll hunt us down and blame me for this" I said and that was something that Sae would do.

"Sis?" Ann ask. "You have a sister?"

"She's a prosecutor for the district... and she's investigating the Phantom Thieves" Makoto explain to the rest.

"Wait, ain't that bad!?" Ryuji yell

"Keep it down!" I said.

"S-Sorry" He apologizes

"No need to worry. A normal investigation would never lead them to a world like that. Then again, it must've been fate for this to happen..."

"What do you mean?" Ann asks

"I can't be like my sister. I had a feeling that there'd come a time when we wouldn't see eye to eye anymore. I'm thankful to have a sister who works so hard, but... there are times I feel sorry for her too. And after hearing my Persona's voice, I clearly understand how I feel now" Makoto explain and let out a sigh.

"It appears you're not as reserved as you make yourself seem" Said Yusuke.

"I was just doing whatever the adults told me to..."

"Anyway... That Palace. We can't even go inside" Said Akira. "That only leaves you two to go in"

"It won't be that hard" I said. "If it's only us, then we had more chances to go unnoticed. Still, the Shadows are slowly getting stronger. This is what we are going to do. Me and Makoto will go to the Palace while you focus on finding a way in. If you don't find any ways in, then... You'll just wait for us and heal us if we come back with bruises"

"You say that because a group of Shadows beat the shit out of you" Ryuji point out.

"Indeed. Yes, they did. I accept defeat and that from this point forward i might need more help, but for now, I think that me and Makoto can pull this off if we are careful enough. It might take us a while, but I think we can do it"

"We will do this" Said Makoto. "I'll make him regret to make me angry"

"Anyway, we should start tomorrow... If you are feeling well" Ryuji ask me and i nodded. "Cool, then I'll see you all tomorrow after school. The same place as always"

"Good, we should get going then" Said Akira and grab his bag with Morgana inside.

"Hey, Akira... Can i stay here for today?" Morgana asks. "I want to check on her today, please?" I was against the idea for a simple reason.

"Sorry, Morgana, but if Mom sees you, she'll start to sneeze like crazy" I explain. "It's kinda ironic. She allergic to cats, but she loves them... She always wanted a cat"

"I'm surprised you aren't allergic too" Said Yusuke.

"Yeah, she was afraid that i'll get that allergy too... Anyway, you should go with Akira. I'm okay, Yusuke is here so you don't have to worry about me" I said to Morgana.

"I trust that Yusuke didn't try anything "funny" on you" He said and i roll my eyes.

"No, he didn't"

"Wait... Kitagawa is living here?" Makoto asks and then i forgot that little detail. Makoto didn't know that. "Why?"

"He begs and Mom let him in" I said with a complete poker face.

"Sometimes i don't understand your mother..."

"It's okay, Makoto. She threat him, so if something happens, she'll kill Yusuke"

"S-She said that I'll wake up in a river bank with no clothes"

"... That sounds pretty much like her" Said Makoto.

* * *

 _ **6/21 Tuesday**_

Shortly after school, we all go to the Metaverse. None of us wanted to waste time, especially me and Makoto. We wanted to take down Kaneshiro as soon as possible, but we need to be careful on this one. Makoto just awakens her Persona and I still feel the beatdown from yesterday. We enter the Metaverse and walk to the Palace. I enter the area and saw the rest hitting against the invisible wall. We reunite outside and decide to discuss our strategy, but before that, Makoto asked something unexpected.

"So, what am I going to be called?" She asks out of nowhere. "You all were using code names, so i thought you'll decide one for me"

"You're quite perceptive" Said Yusuke

"Yeah, but... Man, this time's a hard one..." Said Ryuji and think about a good code name for Makoto. "Maybe somethin' like... "Shoulder Pads"?"

"Why in the world did you focus on that?" Me and Morgana asked at the same time.

"I refuse to be called that" Said Makoto.

"What about "Rider"? Because of her Persona" Said Yusuke.

"Sound too much like a smuggler. Next" Said Makoto. I sigh.

"You're being too picky, Makoto" I said. "What about "Biker"?"

"Now you're messing with me" She said and i smile.

"What gives you that idea?" I ask sarcastically.

"Hmmm... "Fixer"?" Ann ask

"I'm not a mastermind though. Next" Makoto keep turning them down. "Won't you give me something better to work with?"

"She remind me of an empress" Said Morgana.

"More like a Queen..." Said Akira and his eyes widen. "Wait... How about "Queen"?"

"Whoa, I totally see it!" Said Ann.

"It fits so well that I'm at a loss for words here" Said Morgana.

"Queen... It has a nice ring to it" Makoto smile at her new code name. "I like it. Let's go with that"

"Just don't let it go to your head. You are not an actual Queen" I said. "And don't make fun of my code name"

"... For a Clown, you aren't that funny" She said.

"That's what I'm talking about..." I sigh. "Well, now that we decide a code name, we need to talk about the strategy here. Considering that only me and Makoto are going in, the rest should wait for us in the entrance. Makoto can heal us, but we have to consider our stamina level. Makoto, we'll try to avoid combat as much as possible. If we can get pass them, we do it. There might be times where we can't avoid the fight so we'll try to figure it out the enemy's weakness and kill it fast. Our objective is the Treasure and considering that this is a bank, it might be locked up. We need to secure the route to the Treasure. If we can't reach it today, we'll come back later"

"I'm the one that gives navigation, but now you two will go completely blind. Still, I'm sure you'll find a map of the place somewhere" Said Morgana.

"Good, so it's simple" Said Makoto. "I'm counting on you, Clown... It's kinda hard saying that with a straight face" I crossed my arms.

"You'll get used to it. Let's go... Oh, keep looking around if you find a way in. You can't go in through the front door, but there has to be a way in somewhere else" I said to Morgana.

"Roger that" He said. "Joker, come with me. We'll search for a way in" Me and Makoto go to the Palace and found the front door completely blocked. It was expected, Makoto breaks the door after all. I look for another way in and my eyes focus on one of the Pig Statues that decorate the entrance.

"What a horrible taste..." I said. Makoto got closer to the Statue.

"Hmm, I can feel a draft coming from underneath the statue..." She said. "Doesn't this seem strange to you?"

"It is... Let's see" I touch part of the statue and then saw something weird in the placard. I touch it and the Statue move away, revealing a hidden passage. "Now we have our way in. I'll go first" I jump in and we go all the way inside the Palace. We get out of the passage and end up next to a large stair. We walk quietly pass the stair and saw the entrance hall we were yesterday.

"This is the entrance hall" Said Makoto. "There are some Shadows walking around. What should we do?"

"We can get pass them easily. It'll be stupid to fight them, the security level is a little higher than i expect it to be and they can call for backups. If we fight Shadows, we'll make sure they are alone. This Palace, unlike the rest, resembles a real bank, meaning that they have a security system and... cameras" I point at a corner of the room. There was a camera, but it wasn't watching us. "I didn't saw it earlier. We are lucky"

"Alright. You go first, I'll follow you" She said. We hide behind the pillars. The Shadows didn't saw us so we go on our way. In the other room, we saw the door leading to a giant elevator door. A Shadow enters and went down. "It looks like there are lower floors in here"

"That Elevator don't have a control panel. Maybe it's controlled from somewhere else. I bet everything i have that the Treasure is down there" I said. "If i were to hide something really important, I'll hide it underground too"

"Hey!" We turn around and saw a Shadow. He grabs his radio and calls for back ups, but i jump on top of him and rip off his mask, revealing his true form. It has the form of an angel, literally.

"Queen, this one is yours" I let Makoto take it down. Instead of summoning her Persona, she attacks the Shadow with her brass knuckles. She jump at the Shadow and punches it right in the face, she didn't kill it. I appear behind the Shadow and cut his wings. The Shadow fall to the ground and Makoto step on his head so hard that destroy it. The Shadow dissolve into a black mist.

"That was easy" She said.

"True, it was only one, unlike yesterday. Let keep going"

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

Me and Morgana walk around the Palace, searching for a way to go in. The whole place looked like a UFO so there might be some kind of Ventilation Shaft hidden somewhere in one of the sides or below. There has to be a way in, we can't let those two go alone. But no matter how hard we look, we didn't find a way in.

"So, what do you think Mona?" I ask.

"It's certainly a challenge, but we can't give up just yet"

"You're right. We have to find a way in before sending the Calling Card. We can't let them deal with Kaneshiro by themselves. There has to be some way..."

"Well, we saw the bank sucking up the money that was in the air like a Vacuum cleaner. Maybe we can try searching for a way in there, but as long the Palace stays in the ground, it's impossible" Morgana explain and i feel, for the first time since we start this, useless.

"Let's look harder... If we can't find a way in... Then we might as well try to make one"

* * *

 **Makoto's POV**

We went to the second floor of the bank and did our best to avoid any unnecessary fight, but there were some that we couldn't avoid. Still, with only us, we could manage it pretty nice. I find that I'm pretty balanced with my abilities. I have magic skills, physical, buff and heal; all those come in handy. Now, i can't say the same for Kagura. She's a heavy magic user, and when i mean heavy, i mean really heavy. She has only magic abilities and to make things worst, she's weak to physical attacks while I'm weak to Psy skills, which according to her, only a few Shadows have that skill so I'm safe for now. She's powerful, i can see that, but she suffers from a great disadvantage in battle alone. If she's hit, she's done, I'm surprised she survived all this time on her own, but her gravity skills come in handy, keeping the enemy away from her. Still, her low stamina is a problem, i suffer from that too, but i have physical skill to compensate. From a couple of fights, i can tell that her Gravity Skill is the one that drains her the most. When we get out of here maybe we can talk about it and work on a better strategy on her use of abilities. I mean, she has ice, wind, fire, psio and nuclear too. She can easily use the others instead of the same ability every single time. Anyway, we found the Security Room pretty quickly, but we had to enter through a ventilation shaft, the door was locked. We enter a had to fight a Shadow, it was weaker than the others so we just use our weapons on him.

"Well, he was disappointing" Said Kagura. She looks around the room and her eyes focus on the security cameras. She walks to the control keyboard and shut them down. Next, to the keyboard, there was a communication equipment untouched. "That's better. We can walk more freely now... Huh, a keycard" Kagura grab a keycard that was on top of the keyboard. She found a keycard and I found a map of the bank.

"And over here is a map. Looks like there's a large basement floor... But this map is incomplete" I point out. The map was indeed incomplete, maybe there was another part somewhere else. "We pass a door earlier that was locked. Maybe we can use the keycard to open it"

"Well, It's worth trying. Let's check it out then" We get out of the Security Room and go to the door we saw earlier. We use the keycard and open the door. Inside we saw the elevator motor, we were above the elevator from earlier. Considering that we didn't have anywhere else to go, we decided to ride on top of the elevator and that leads us to the lower floors. The elevator suddenly stops and stay there for a couple of minutes. "I think this is our stop. There's a ventilation there, let's go" Kagura open the ventilation shaft and we move inside. We crawl for a couple of seconds before emerging from the other side.

"This might be the basement" I said and look at the map. We were near the elevator entrance and that was my reference point. We were indeed in the basement.

" **All Security listen...** " A voice comes out of the speakers.

"Is that Kaneshiro...!?" I ask.

" **It looks like some rats have infested this place!** " Kaneshiro yells. " **Under no circumstances let them further down! Strengthen security as much as you can! Understood!?** "

"He makes it obvious, we are getting closer to the treasure if he's getting this desperate" Said Kagura.

"True, We should find the rest of the map for the lower floors" I insist on that being our top priority, we can't go blind.

"You are right... A Safe Room. Let's get in for a moment" She point at the door with a distortion surrounding it. We enter and find ourselves in a little waiting room. Kagura sits down in a chair. "Shadows can't find us here, don't worry about it"

"Oh, okay then. So we can use this area to take a break, that's nice. Still, we can't let our guards down. We are still in enemy territory after all"

"You don't have to remind me that... We should search for the rest of the map. If we get more underground, then the security will be tougher to get past. Be careful where you step and make sure to look at every corner. We shut down the cameras from the higher floors, but not this ones"

"Alright, let's go" We get out of the Safe Room and walk through the basement. In the hallway, we found security cameras and avoid them. At the end of the hallway, we encounter a power supply box. I stop in front of it for a moment. "This could be..."

"What is it?" Kagura asks and I kick the power supply box, that shut down the cameras behind us.

"Woah... I didn't see that coming"

"We can shut down the cameras if we find more of these" I explain. We get on our way and surprisingly enough, there wasn't any Shadows here. Only security cameras. We did the same as before, avoid them and destroy the power supply boxes when we found them. That let us move more freely in the basement. After running in circles for almost fifteen minutes we come across a giant vault. I look at the map. "Hmmm... According to the map, there's a great deal more beyond here..."

"Then this must lead us to the Treasure" She said and walk to the terminal next to the vault. "Damn it... It needs two keys to open and we can't open it with our Personas. That door locked like it could withstand an atomic bomb"

"I suppose that means we'll need to search for them to pass through here..."

"What a pain in the ass... A Shadow most have them. Let's search for them" We went back and search for Shadows, luckily for us, we didn't have to look for them. We find two golden Shadows talking to each other. We hide behind a wall and hear their conversation.

" _Hey, did you hear? It sounds like those intruders are wreaking havoc in here_ " Said one of them.

" _What's wrong? Are you nervous? Don't be. We have the keys they need, so things should be OK as long we protect them_ "

"Well, well, well. Looks like it's our lucky day" Kagura smile.

"They look strong" I remark.

"We could try and fight them both, but they could have some trick under their sleeve. We should we until they split up" She said. We decide to wait, but the Shadows didn't move at all.

"Looks like they aren't moving for a while" I said. "We should split them up by ourselves" I had an idea, i don't know if it'll work though.

"Any idea?"

"Do you remember that Security room upstairs? The room we acquired our map from. There was some communication equipment there as well. We can use that to lure one away" I tell her my plan and she loved it

"That's why you are always on top of the class" She said. "Let go straight to that room" We head to the Security room and get ready. "All right, lure one of them here and we'll ambush him. After that, we'll take care of the other"

"Okay" I talk through the communication equipment. "Come in, This is the security room from the second floor! We've been ambushed by intruders! Requesting backup, immediately! One person would be perfect!"

"Roger that! We'll send someone your way at once!" The Shadow respond.

"Good job, Queen. Let's wait for him" We hide near the door. The Golden Shadow appear almost immediately.

" _Hm!? There's no one here...?_ " He said. Kagura jumps on top of him and grab his mask.

"Surprise!" She yell and rip off his mask. The Shadow transform into a giant blue demon. "Queen, hit him with Nuclear" I summon Johanna and attack him with magic, but it barely did any damage.

"He's strong against it" I said. "Try something!" The Shadow attack me with his naginata, but I got away on top of Johanna. Kagura runs in circles around him, studying him. She then summon Kuma Lisa.

"Bufudyne!" She yells and she froze the Shadow for a brief moment. The Shadow was breaking the ice really quickly. "Queen, let's hit him together!"

"Yes!" I drive right at her, grab her hand, let go of Johanna, and she launches me right at the Shadow's head. I tighten my fists and hit the Shadow with all my strengths. The Shadow fall on the ground, knocked down. We point at him with our weapons, ready to shoot.

" _It was... A Trap... You'll pay for that!_ " The Shadow yell at us. "I'll destroy you two"

"No you won't" Said Kagura. "Let's finish this, Queen!"

"Yes, Clown!" We jump at him and perform an All-Out-Attack. We jump from every possible direction and hit him with full force. In the blink of an eye, the battle was over, we jump away from the Shadow and he exploded.

"That's how it's done!" Said Kagura, excited and give me a high five. She was happy. "You're good at this, Queen"

"Hahaha, Thanks. You are excellent too" I saw a little key were the Shadow used to stand. "And we have one of the keys"

"Now we need to deal with the other. Let's go right to the basement" On our way there i start to feel more close to Kagura. More than before. I don't usually see her this excited. Is this how she usually behaves here or is it because of me? Is it because we make a good team? I didn't see her fighting with the rest of the Phantom Thieves so i can't really tell. If this is the case, then that means she enjoys more my company and the others. Well, it's expected. I'm the most closer to her than the rest. Still, everything went pretty well until now. Maybe it's not as hard as I was expecting.

We finally get to the basement and head right where the Shadow is. We hide behind the door like before and hear him talking to himself. "Why isn't he coming back? Could something have happened!?" I couldn't help but to feel a little bad. Sure, Shadows are monsters, but they do sound like normal persons. Looks like they have emotion too, even if those are a little twisted. Take Kaneshiro for example.

"Are you ready, Queen?" She asks me and I nodded. Kagura jump at the Shadow.

" _Hm!? Who are you!?_ " The Shadow asks.

"We're your doom!" She rips the Shadow's mask and turns into another Floodbringer Demon. "Kuma Lise, Grydyne!" Kagura attack first this time and use her Gravity Skills. Electricity surrounds the Shadow and gravity got heavy around him, but it surprise us when the Shadow didn't look bothered by it. He was immune to it. "What the...? That can't be..." Kagura's eyes widen. The Shadow hit the ground with his Naginata and electricity surround Kagura. She smiles at the Shadow. "Now this is a nice surprise..." She said before the Gravity pushes her to the ground.

"Clown!" I yell.

"It's okay, I can endure it! Attack him!" She yells at me. I summon Johanna and attack him with "Vajra Blast". The Shadow stops the attack against Kagura when he takes the damage. Throw his naginata at me and I dodge it just in time. Kagura recovers and attacks the Shadow, this time with ice, like before, but it was also immune. "He's hard, isn't he?" I then proceed to attack with Nuclear and the Shadow fall on his knees. I hit his weakness.

"I got him!" I yell. The Shadow stand up quickly, but Kagura put him down again with her Nuclear attack.

"No, you don't, Freidyne!" She yells and the Shadow fall again. We got him surrounded and he starts to beg.

"P-Please, don't do it!" He said. "I'm only following orders"

"Too bad, we can't let you go" I said. "Let's finish him" We perform an All-Out-Attack and everything was over. Another key fall to the ground as soon the Shadow disappear. "Perfect. We've both keys!"

"Now we can open that vault"

"Wait, is that a map?" I point at a paper on the wall. It was the rest of the map. I grab it and look at it. Beyond the vault, there was an elevator that takes us to a larger area. "Now we have the rest of the map. We can proceed normally"

"Good, let's get going" We head to the vault and put the keys in and turn them at the same time and the door open. "We are making good progress here. Good work, Queen"

"Thanks, we should go. I think we might be near the Treasure" We enter to a passage covered with money. "There's money all over the floor. He took all this money from the weak... He's gonna pay for this"

"I can't wait for that" She said. We saw from the edge of the passage and saw a giant sea of money beneath us. "I wish I had that much money. All my problems would be solved"

"Like the rent?" I ask.

"Especially the rent" We open the door from the other side of the passage and saw Kaneshiro with one of the Golden Shadows.

"Kaneshiro!" I yell at him.

" **Y-You bastards... How did you two get this far!? What about my security!?** " He yells.

"It was useless against us" Said Kagura.

"Give up, Kaneshiro" I said. Kaneshiro turns around and leave.

" **Hey, finish off these vermin here! Keep them away from the elevator at all costs!** " Kaneshiro takes the elevator and leave. The Golden Shadow stand in front of us and transform into a Demonic Warlord. Behind us, two more Shadows appear and take the form of the other demons we fought.

"We are surrounded" I said. "I'll attack the two Shadows behind us. You take care of the big one"

"It'll be a pleasure" She said and summon Kuma Lisa. I summon Johanna and we attack the Shadows. Kagura use Grydyne and throw the Demonic Warlord against the wall, making a hole and knocking him down. I take both Shadows behind us with Nuclear attack followed by "Vajra Blast" One of them fall to the ground and the other chase after me. I get away and Kagura hit him with Bufudyne, freezing him in place. The Demonic Warlord get out of the wall and run toward us. Kagura, instead of summoning her Persona, take out her swords and jump at the Shadows face, only to stab him in the eyes. The Shadow fall on his knees and try to her off. Kagura jump next to me and the three Shadows were knocked down. We again perform an All-Out-Attack, but it wasn't powerful enough. We start to get tired. The Demonic Warlord was the only one standing. He grab the swords stabbed in his eyes and take them out. He throw them to the floor and Kagura caught them. She then jump behind the Shadow and perform an execution. She cross her swords around the Shadow's neck and cut his head off. The Shadow's body fall to the floor and disappear.

"I'm getting tired" I said.

"Me too... We should see what lies beyond the elevator and leave" I agreed with her. We go inside the elevator and go down. The elevator was made of glass and while we go down we saw bank vaults, a lot of them. From this higher, it looked like a key hole and in the center of everything there was a another elevator. We get down and found ourselves surrounded by vaults. There was no door, no stairs, nothing to proceed. "There has to be a way to get to the center. You saw it too, right? The Treasure has to be there"

"I know... If there's a way, then we can't reach it normally... We might cheat on this one... Well, we ARE thieves. We can break the rules" She said and summon Kuma Lisa.

"What are you doing?" I ask and she takes my hand. Kuma Lisa take us on top of the vaults. "Oh, i get it. We can walk on top of the vaults to get in the center" In that moment we hear Kaneshiro's voice.

" **Hahahaha. This gold sheen...** " He said.

"Is he looking at us from somewhere?" I ask and look for any cameras.

"No, this must be his thoughts" Said Kagura.

" **This... This is the fruit of all my hard labor! With this much, I will be invincible! Omnipotent! I've changed... I'm no longer the person I used to be...** "

"... What could have happened to make him so distorted...?" I ask. I don't feel pity for him, it just makes me curious. People don't born evil, but they turn evil because of events that happen to them. "But no matter what kind of past he had, his actions are unforgivable"

"Let's move. We are closer. Once we found the Treasure, we can get out of here" Me and Kagura run on top of the vaults and reach the elevator. We get inside and that leads us to a big spaced room. In the middle of it, there was a formless cloud of energy. "What's that?" I point at the cloud.

"That's the Treasure" Kagura point at the cloud. "To think we found it in a day. I thought we might need to go back for a moment. He make us running in circles for a moment" Kagura sigh in relief. "Now, this is the part where we send the Calling Card"

"Oh, I see. Making the target believe that the Treasure is in danger will cause it to materialize. That quite a bold trick" I understand quite fast how everything works. This world doesn't stop to surprise me.

"You figure it out quickly. Good. Now that we have our route it's time we go back for now and prepare for later" We turn around and leave the Palace for now. We avoid most of the Shadows and get out of there. Once we saw the rest of the group and gather around us. We couldn't wait and fall in our knees.

"Woah, are you two okay?" Ryuji asks.

"We're tired" Said Kagura. "Jumping in a Palace after a group of Shadow beat you up is not a good idea at all... But we managed"

"I'm not used to walk this long and I just wake my Persona" I said. "But good news, we find the Treasure"

"You did!?" Ryuji asks in disbelief. "This awesome!"

"I think you two deserve a rest" Said Akira. "Let's get out of here. You'll tell us the details tomorrow"

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

I finally go back home and the first thing I did was to fall on the couch. I was tired and I was about to fall sleep. Yusuke closes the door and seat in a chair next to me. He looks at me, worried.

"Do you need something?" He asks.

"No, I'm okay. I'm just tired. Maybe I'll go to bed earlier" My phone vibrates and so did Yusuke's. We check the chat room.

" _When are we gonna send the calling card? We should hurry it up_ " Ryuji wrote and I sigh. I reply immediately.

" _I just get out of there! (＃`Д´)_ " I wrote. " _Let me rest for a day at least!_ "

" _I agree with Kagura. We should take a day at least. I want to go as soon as possible, but we need to recover first. Not only that, we can't let our grade go down unlike you, Ryuji_ " Makoto wrote.

" _Hey!_ " Ryuji wrote.

" _We should at least discuss the details tomorrow and send it the next day. What do you think?_ " Akira wrote.

" _Fine by me, as long you let me sleep tonight_ " I wrote.

" _Alright, we should gather tomorrow,_ " Yusuke wrote and speak to me. "What do you think about letting the others come here? That way we won't be talking in the open like before. I say it because of Ryuji"

"Sure. I write it down" I look at my phone and write. " _Hey, you should come to my apartment tomorrow. We can talk about the next Calling Card_ "

"Good, see you tomorrow then" Ann wrote and the rest agree. Everyone get out of the chat and I sigh.

"It'll be a real pain in the ass after we send that Calling Card" I said. The thought of me and Makoto facing Kaneshiro is not something scary, but painful to think about it. I'm used to fighting those type of Shadows alone and it was easier with the rest, but the problem now is that Shadows are starting to get stronger. Today I found the First Shadow that not only was stronger to Gravity Attacks, but it could attack me with Gry skills. It makes me think that my ability is somewhat common for stronger Shadows or for only a special type of Shadows. If later on, I start finding more Shadows with the same ability, then we might be in real troubles.

"We didn't find a way in. Sorry, Kagura, but looks like you'll have to go alone with Makoto" Said Yusuke. "Personally, I don't want you to face this alone. I wish to help you"

"I know, but there's nothing you can do about it... Sometimes there are things that are out of your control. You have to accept that" I stand up from the couch and yawn. "I think I'll skip dinner and go right to bed. You can eat whatever you want, Yusuke" I walk to my room.

"Alright, I'll make sure to wake up early and make you breakfast" He said and I smile at him with thinking.

"Thanks, Yusuke... Good night" I open the door to my room and close it behind me. I fall into my bed and close my eyes as soon my head hit the pillow.


	31. The Fly

**Such a long chapter we have here XD Anyway, what comes next will be fun (at least for me). Read until the end and you will find out.**

 **Also, I'll be using a third person POV from time to time. It will be in italic**.

* * *

 _ **Chapter 30:** **The Fly**_

 _She was in the shadows, looking at the never ending void of darkness before her. She knew this was a dream, she remembers going to bed at night, but nothing else. No matter where she looks at, it was only darkness. Everything was black and the only light was coming from her. Kagura wasn't standing on anything, she was floating. She extends her hand toward the infinite void, searching, praying to reach something, but there was nothing. She couldn't move at all, the only thing she could do was to stay there, floating in the darkness. **"This is a dream,"** she thought, but something didn't seem right. That feeling, the fear, her hands touching her own skin, the cold air blowing from behind her tell her otherwise. This dream felt real. She hears a voice coming behind her, calling her name. She turns around and saw her Persona, floating in the darkness, just like her. Kuma Lisa wanted to grab Kagura's hand, Kagura extend her hand, she tried to reach her, but something stops her. Below her, a black hand grabs her arm and thousands of hands grab her from every part of her body, restraining her. Kagura looks down and saw eyes, thousand, maybe millions, looking right at her. The hands transform into chains that pierce in her skin and crawl under it. Kagura felt a pain that couldn't be described in words, she felt the chains crawling inside her and slowly reaching her heart and brain. She saw Kuma Lisa twisting in pain, grabbing her head and she, out of nowhere, was turned apart by chains coming out of her mouth and eyes. Suddenly, the darkness was filled with eyes looking right at her. The chain tied around her bones and was ready to break her from the inside. Kagura was afraid, she wanted to wake up, she wanted to open her eyes, but she wasn't in control of her own body and mind anymore._

 _" **... The pawn of Philemon...** " A deep, menacing, voice coming from every corner. " **... You are... A failure** " The chains, slowly, tightened her bones. " **You can't even reach him... You can't even use your "real" potential... That's why you'll fail... Ruin can no longer be avoided, Trickster... No, you are not a Trickster... You are not even a "Fool" to begin with... That's why you'll fail, because Philemon trusted in a weakling like you... A Sinner** " The chains pull away and Kagura screams while her whole body was turned apart. As soon her arm separate from her body, she opens her eyes and wakes up..._

* * *

 ** _6/22 Wednesday_**

 **Yusuke's POV**

I wake up rather early and I soon as I did I head to the kitchen and prepare breakfast for me and Kagura. I decided to keep it simple and make a cup of coffee. I'm not like Kagura or Sojiro, but I can make at least a normal coffee. It's a shame, because I really want to make a cup as good as they do. Once I finish, I make toasted bread and leave it on the table. I sit down and look at the clock, it was early, but it was almost time for her to wake up. I hear the sound of a door opening in the hallway and saw Kagura's mother coming out of her room. She looked tired, she walks right into the kitchen and makes coffee for her.

"Good morning,Kobayashi-san,scream" I said politely. She nodded.

"Good morning, Yusuke. You wake up early today" She said and drink her cup of coffee in the kitchen. "Or you wake up this early? I actually don't wake up at this hour, but I couldn't sleep at all"

"Did something happen?" I ask. Naomi grabs her cup and sits down next to me on the table.

"A man came to the bar yesterday and he was going on and on about his problems and ended up drinking more than he could endure. He got a little violent and the police had to take him away, but before that, he makes a mess in the bar. It's usually quiet there, it's the first time this happens" Naomi explains. Sometimes I forget that she works in a bar, she must've come back home really late, at least more than usual. "I come back later than usual and I couldn't sleep so if I can't sleep I might as well eat breakfast now and start the day now... But seriously, that man at one point start yelling about his daughter being a failure and how he hates her because she got herself expelled from high school. A father shouldn't say that about their children"

"I see..." I keep drinking my coffee. Every seems calm, it was a very quiet morning, but then... We heard her. Kagura scream from inside her room like something was attacking her. It was so loud that makes us jump from our chairs. "What the!? Kagura!?"

"Kagura!?" We get up from our chairs and run to Kagura's room. We push the door open and found her hugging her sheets and crying a little. She was breathing heavily while grabbing her chest. It was like she was about to have a heart attack. "What happen!?" Naomi asks and runs to her. Kagura looks at her mother in the eyes and couldn't respond, she was having troubles to breathe. "Are you okay? What happened? Answer me!"

"N-N-Night-Nightmare" She mutter. "I-I had a nightmare..." Kagura calms herself down and let go of her sheets. "S-S-Sorry" Kagura was shaking, I could see it in her hands. I get closer and grab her hands.

"You are shaken, Kagura. Calm down" I said and Kagura look at me in the eyes. She looked away after a couple of seconds and push herself away from us.

"I need a moment alone..." She said.

"You can stay here today if you don't want to go to school" Said Naomi and Kagura shake her head.

"No, I'm going. I need to be there today" She said and sighed. "Please, I need a moment alone. I'll be in the living room in a minute" Naomi nodded and take me outside of Kagura's room. She closes the door and walks to the living room. I follow her there and she sighs.

"It's been a while since she freaks out like that... That nightmare must've been really awful if she was shaken" She said and look at me. "Yusuke... Can you do me a favor?"

"Sure"

"I know your high school is not near, but... Can you take Kagura to school? I don't want her to go by herself. I may be worrying too much, but go with her. Can you do that?"

"Of course. I'm worried about her too, I wouldn't leave her alone after that" It was true, she worried me. Whatever nightmare she had, it wasn't normal.

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

I was taking the subway to school. Yusuke was accompanying me, I wasn't against it, but it makes me feel powerless. I don't know if that's the word I should use now, but considering what I just saw, what I felt in that nightmare... I was feeling weak, scare and, in lack of better words, defeated. I don't know what was that about, but it didn't feel normal. I felt like I was there, like my real body was there, I feel that pain, those chain crawling under my skin. It makes me sick to even think about it, I feel a great pain in my heart every time I think about it. I'm starting to think that I should've stayed at home or maybe go to see a doctor. Lately, I'm not feeling well, maybe I have heart problems or maybe it's only stress, I don't know, but I should watch out, not only for that, but the nightmare... That "thing" mentioned Philemon. I wish that it was only a nightmare, but it felt so real that I'm starting to think otherwise. I'm even touching my wrist to confirm if there isn't a hole on my skin or something weird. It's weird to feel like this, I don't want to feel like this. This is the last thing I really need right now. I need to focus on Kaneshiro now, but this might drag me down if I'm not careful.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Yusuke ask me while we walk out of the subway. I simply nodded and kept walking. "Are you sure?"

"... Yes, I'm sure. It was just a nightmare... A messed up nightmare. It wasn't real" I said and shake my head. My eyes wander around the road and focus on the cars passing by. "Sorry for this. You'll get late to your school"

"It's okay. I was worried about you. I never hear you screaming like that. It makes me nervous" Yusuke express his concern over me. I didn't mind that, but he shouldn't worry about me.

"Don't be... I'm okay" We arrive at the school gates shortly. "We'll see each other after school in the usual spot to talk about the Calling Card. Wait for us there"

"Sure. And if you are not feeling well let me know"

"It was a nightmare, Yusuke. I didn't have a heart attack or anything" I said, annoyed. "Although, I could've got a heart attack shortly after that" I thought.

"I know, but I have a feeling that it wasn't just a nightmare. I'm here if you need to talk"

"... Sure. Whatever you say..." I turn around and enter the building. School was pretty normal today, but my mind wasn't where it should be. That nightmare was still present before my eyes. All those eyes looking at me, the chains crawling inside my skin, that deep voice... It makes me nervous to only thinking about it. I close my eyes for a moment and make my best effort to just forget about it and focus on what was coming next. The Calling Card. I feel my phone vibrating, I take it out, carefully and enter the chat. Ryuji was the first on writing.

" _Makoto, Kagura, are you both OK? Has Kaneshiro threatened you or anything?_ " He asks.

" _He's been demanding money, but I choose to ignore those messages_ ," Makoto wrote.

" _Why didn't you told me that before?_ " I write.

" _I didn't want to make you worry about it. Sorry_ " She wrote.

" _Is that OK?_ " Ann asks. " _Have any scary men shown up at your house?_ "

" _No. I think we are fine for now_ " I write.

" _Kaneshiro still has the photographs in his possession, remember?_ " Yusuke wrote. " _Perhaps that advantages is why he doesn't feel any urgency to act_ "

" _But he's pushing us because he's asking two girls to gather tree million yens,_ " I write. " _He really wants that money_ "

" _So do you think we're safe for now then?_ " Ryuji ask.

" _You could say that,_ " Akira wrote. " _Still, we need to send that Calling Card now. The earlier the better... But considering that only Kagura and Makoto can enter... It makes me more nervous the fight that awaits them than the pictures_ "

" _Ugh, right. Goddammit, I almost forgot that_ " I write. " _We need a plan, Makoto. Let's talk about this after school in the hideout_ "

" _Alright, see you all there,_ " Makoto wrote and we ended the conversation. I focus in class and school finish before i even noticed. We gather in the hideout in Shibuya and make sure that no one was listening to our conversation.

"Now the question is... How do we deliver the calling card to him...?" Yusuke asks and we all start to think about it. Up until now, we gave the Calling Card to the person in some way or another, but this proves to be a little difficult.

"Yeah, we don't know where he lives" Said Ann with a tired face.

"Hm? Why not use the same method as before?" Makoto asks and we look at her.

"The same method...? You're talking about the Calling Card we give to Kamoshida?" I ask and she nodded. "Hm... That might work, but to do that it has to be a poster and not a calling card... If that's the case... We might need to put it in every wall on Shibuya for Kaneshiro to see it"

"Exactly. We need to make at least hundreds of them and place them all over Shibuya and we'll leave a normal Calling Card outside the club he was before. He might use that place as his own hideout"

"That's a good plan, Makoto" Said Akira. "Are we all agreed on that?" He asks and we all nodded. "Cool, now we need to make the calling card and do this"

"I'll do it" I said. "It's my job after all"

"Hey, I want to do it! Can I do it? Please! Please! Please!" Ryuji begged.

"... How about NO?" I said. "From now on, I'll do the Calling Card, just like I've always done" I crossed my arms and sigh. "Still... We need to think this through first. We send the Calling Card, fine... What about Kaneshiro's Shadow. He isn't stupid. All that security system we saw makes me believe that the moment we enter, we might be in troubles. Maybe he closes the Treasure in a vault or something like that. I swear that if that fat bastard get in our way I'll break his legs and beat him to death"

"Woah, calm down. You own him money, it's nothing to get so angry about once it's over" Said Ryuji. Me and Makoto look down. We didn't tell them everything. We skip the part where Kaneshiro told me what he did to my mother. I didn't want them to know and Makoto agreed with me. It was better if we keep that detail to ourselves.

"Sorry... But that man pisses me off so much... Reaching the Treasure will be easy, the problem will be taking it out" I said.

"I know. We don't know what might be waiting for us there, but we'll crush anything that stands in our way" Said Makoto. "Let's make the Calling Card now and spread it in Shibuya"

"Alright, let's do this" Said Ryuji and we all gather in my apartment to make the posters and later that night we sneak around Shibuya and put the poster all around the place...

* * *

 _ **6/23 Thursday**_

 _Junya Kaneshiro was enjoying himself inside his private room of the club. Next to him, there was a young girl, hugging him while he just stares at the table full of alcohol, drugs, and money. There was a lot of things on his mind, but right now only one was important. The two girls that own him three million yens, Makoto Niijima and Kagura Kobayashi. He gather all sort of information from them, he has them both in the palm of his hands and if he wanted to, he could crush them right now, but he will stick to the time he gives them. One of his men enter the room, he had a red card in his hand._

 _"Excuse me, sir, but..." He looks at the card and then to Kaneshiro. "Uh, I found this on the door outside. There's something written on it"_

 _"Hm? Read it" Said Kaneshiro in a demanding tone._

 _"Um, but..." The man was shaking a little and Kaneshiro lost his patience._

 _"I said, Read it!" He yells and the man read the card._

 ** _"Sir Junya Kaneshiro, the money-devouring sinner of gluttony. You indulge in scamming others with horrendous methods that target minors exclusively. We have decided to make you confess all your crimes with your own mouth. We will take your distorted desires without fail. From, The Phantom Thieves"_**

 _At the mention of the Phantom Thieves, Kaneshiro begins thinking about his next move. He has heard about them, but he wasn't scared of them at all. No matter what they try to pull, they won't reach him. At least that's what he thought, but his hand was shaking a little. Something about this didn't seem right to him. Something was off._

 _"I-Isn't this bad...?" The man asked and Kaneshiro hides his worried expression behind a mask of indifference._

 _"What of it?" He asks._

 _"I-If something happened to you...! I mean, if the higher-ups find out about this..."_

 _"Don't waste your time worrying about this useless shit. Just keep quiet for now"_

 _"B-But it's... posted all around the city... People're talking about it online too..." The man said and that makes Kaneshiro nervous. He didn't show it, but he was starting to feel uneasy._

 _"Grr..." Kaneshiro growled. "All of you, bring me your earnings! If you don't surpass your quota... I'll kill you" Kaneshiro demanded_

 _"Y-Yes, sir!" The man leaves and everything distort around Kaneshiro. The Shadow appears and he looked irritated._

 _" **Ugh! Phantom Thieves? Don't make me laugh! They won't get to me that easily!** " He yells and everything went back to normal. Kaneshiro looks at the girl sitting next to him._

 _"Hey, we're leaving," He said and get out of the room with her..._

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

Everything was ready. The Calling Card was delivered and the posters were all over Shibuya. People around us start talking about it, they were anxious about them. Even on the internet, people start talking about it, not only in the Phantom Aficionado Website, but on the social networks too. It was only a matter of time for it to appear on TV too. We gather in our hideout and jump right to Kaneshiro's Palace. As soon as we take a step inside the Palace, Akira tries to enter too, but the invisible wall was still there. We were alone on this one, I wasn't nervous, but something was bothering me. Kaneshiro wasn't like the previous Shadows I fought before. I bet he was waiting for us and his Treasure would be out of our reach. Me and Makoto decide to not waste any more time and run inside the Palace. The Security system was online again so we decide to avoid them all. The doors we open before were still open which was good news. In a matter of minutes, we reach the vaults and take the elevator to the underground level where the Treasure was. Just like I was expecting, Kaneshiro was there, waiting for us. The Treasure was nowhere to be found, instead, there was a giant vault behind Kaneshiro.

"Is that... Kaneshiro!?" Makoto asks.

"He's not alone..." I said and point at the three men accompanying him. "They must be cognitions of his most trustworthy men. Let's finish this" We walk toward Kaneshiro and he receive us with a huge grin.

" **Greetings. Welcome to my private city bank** " He said, smile at us. " **I'm surprised you two made it here alive. It seems you are quite lucky** "

"Lucky? Don't be ridiculous" Said Makoto.

"Actually, quite skilled, I would say" I said. "We are going to steal your heart, right here, right now. Move, it will be best if you don't get in our way"

"Once we steal your desires, we'll save those who are suffering because of you!" Makoto yells at him.

" **Hm, is that so? Those in power work the ones below them to the bone for money. Such is the hierarchy of the world. Just accept your fate as a source of my wealth!** " Kaneshiro yells at us and I take out my gun and point at him.

"Shut up! Move or I'll blow your head off, Fat Bastard! You think you have the right to do this?" I said.

" **All of that was forced on me too, you know!? I went through shit until I crawled my way out of the dregs! When I did, Takeshi Ogata showed me the way life really works. Thanks to him I can stand and turn the tables. Now it's my turn to profit on everyone else!** "

"Takeshi was an asshole and you are no different now. You are just like him, another bully, another rotten adult who thinks that can do whatever you want because you have power" I yell

"What a pitiful man" Said Makoto.

" **It doesn't matter whether you're clean or dirty! Only the clever come out on top! The strong and the smart devour the weak. That is the natural order of things! You damn brats who think you know the world through the shit you read online will make perfect prey!** "

"I know how the world works because I went through some shit. We all did, that's why I'll change it. I'll change this rotten world starting with people like you!" I yell. Kaneshiro looks at me with rage in his eyes.

" **I guess there's not much point saying anything to you fools! This is where my gracious lecture ends. Now then, I hope you're ready to work as slaves here for the rest of your lives** " Kaneshiro laugh a little and eventually let out a maniacal laugh. " **HAHAHAHAHA I'm gonna swarm all over you... and squeeze out every last penny!"** Kaneshiro point at us and suddenly start coughing blood. His whole body turns dark red and moves violently. Out of his back come out fly wings and he starts to rub his hands like a fly. The men next to him freak out and run away. Kaneshiro's eyes widen out of proportion and turn red. He was transforming into an actual Fly.

"That's disgusting," I said and take a step back.

" **I can take care of this myself,** " He said and taunt us. " **Wassup yo!? Now come get some!** " We summon our Personas and prepare to fight him.

"You filthy fly on dirty money... Get the hell out of my face!" Makoto yell.

"You are nothing more than a Money-grubbing fly"

" **Gyahahaha! Aight, here we go, yeh pieces of shit!** " Kaneshiro fly above us and attack us with darkness. We dodge it and Makoto attacks him with Nuclear Attack. Kaneshiro couldn't dodge very well in the air and fall to the ground. He was having problems to stand up because of how fat he was.

"This must be some kind of joke" I said. "He's the weakest Shadow I've since in my life... Let's finish this quickly" I point at him and Kuma Lisa launch him across the room with her gravity abilities. She hit him against the walls and the floor multiple times until I decided it was enough. I finally stop and Kuma Lisa crushes him against the floor. "He looked like a rag doll just now, didn't he?"

"Yeah... He's too easy... It can't be..." Said Makoto. Kaneshiro stands up and breathes heavily.

" **Tch... The hell? Yeh punks're stronger than you look... Looks like I gotta bring out my big guns...!** " He said and fly right to the vault.

"What do you mean by that? Don't tell me you are calling a group of Shadows to finish us off. You are so pathetic right now" I said and Kaneshiro smirk. The vault opens and reveal a giant pig robot. He enters the robot through the door on its nose and it starts moving. "... You have to be fucking kidding me, really!?"

"What in the world!?" Me and Makoto couldn't believe what we were looking at.

" **Gyahahahahaha! Yeh ready to die!?** " Kaneshiro yell at us.

"That fricking robot looks like a pig..." I said

" **It ain't a pig, yo! This is my Palace's swine-model defensive mechanoid, Piggytron!** " Kaneshiro yells back at me.

"... I can no longer take you seriously after what you just said" I point out.

" **Goin' against me's a real bad crime, yeh know? It's time for yeh all to go to hell!** "

"Clown! Make sure you have us regroup if you think we're at disadvantage! That thing's a giant... If it attacks us while we're at low stamina, we won't survive!" Said Makoto.

"I know! Dammit, it looks tough now. We need to break him. You go around and try to find a weakness, I'll grab his attention" Makoto nodded and drive away with Johanna. "Hey! You Fat Fly! Come at me!"

" **With pleasure!** " He said and shoot missiles at me from his eyes. I dodge them and keep his attention focus on me.

"Kuma Lisa! Bufudyne!" I point at the Piggytron's eyes and Kuma Lisa cover them with ice. Now Kaneshiro couldn't see me clearly. I use this opportunity to test some of my skills on him to see if I could break the robot. "Garudyne!" A tiny tornado forms below the robot, but it didn't do anything at all. "Shit, wind does not work. Let's push you down then. Grydyne!" The robot float in the air and was pushed against the ground so strongly that part of the floor was ready to give in. Makoto came back.

"You didn't hurt it, but I found something!" She said. "When you crush him against the ground I saw an opening on his back. That pig is just like a Piggy bank, but bigger!"

"Good! Then one of us will enter and beat him" I said and the Piggytron shoot at us. I push Makoto again and we dodge the bullets.

" **Yeh punks're really pissin' me off! Yeh called my Piggytron a pig earlier, right? Were yeh talkin' about me too when you said that? If you were... Imma tear yeh all to shreds!** " Kaneshiro yell at us.

"Yes, I'm calling you a BIG FAT PIG!" I yell at him. "Makoto... You go in. Give me a signal when you are ready and I'll use my ability to take you to his back... Beat the shit out of him" I order and Makoto nodded. She drive away again, Kaneshiro ignore her and focus on me because I insult him.

" **You are going to pay for this!** " Kaneshiro yell.

"You talk to much! All bark and no bite! If you don't want me to mock you, then show me you are not a loser!" I saw Makoto behind Kaneshiro, ready for me to take her to his back. She wave her hand, that was the signal. I use Gravity Shift on her and Makoto was launched on top of the Piggytron. She enter the robot and i soon hear Kaneshiro screaming.

" **What the!? How did you get in here!?** " He yells and i could here Makoto beating him up. " **Gaahh! That hurts! Stop!** " The Piggytron move uncontrollably and shoot missiles everywhere. I take cover and the floor give in and fall. I use Gravity and stop it from falling. I push it against a corner and the Piggytron open itself. An absurd amount of gold ingots falls from it, followed by Kaneshiro full of bruises all over his face. He had returned to normal. Makoto came out and kick Kaneshiro away. He crawls toward the gold and hugs it like his life depends on it.

"So that's your Treasure? Gold ingots. I should've guess" I said.

" **I'm not gonna let anyone have it... This is my money...** " He said, scared of losing the Gold. Makoto walks to him and punch him again in the face.

"You stole it all from innocent people!" She yell. "You don't have the right to keep it, you bastard!"

" **F-F-Fine! I'll call off the debt, just don't hurt me!** " He begged. I walk to him and all i wanted to do is to beat him, to punch him, to make him completely regret what he had done, not only to all this people, but what he did to my mother. If Makoto wasn't here, i could've tortured him or even kill him. Now he's begging...

"You are begging for mercy now? Where all that bravery go, huh? You are pathetic" I said.

" **Y-Y-You're right... I'm a poor, ugly... idiot... All those things I've done in order to climb to the top... All the people i hurt, all the people i kill... How am i supposed to live a normal life like this...? It's all because of our society! Weak people can't lead a happy life, no matter what they do! I'm a victim too, you know!? Yeah, none of this is my fault!** "

"The more you talk, the more pathetic you sound" I said. "It's true that society is at fault, but you choose this path. You choose and that lead you here. It's your fault that you end up like this... I won't forgive you for what you have done and beating you to death won't help any of us"

" **I just wanted a place where I could belong! You get that, don't you, Kobayashi!? In a couple of years you'll end up in a lost road, you won't belong anywhere because you don't have social status, a family name to back you up, parents that can facilitate you a job and good money... Unlike Niijima, you are destined to a mediocre life that will lead you to a potential suicide! You don't have a bright future waiting for you at the end of the road! Only suffering! You and I are the same...** "

"..." I didn't say anything at all. I thought about it before, i don't have any plan of what to do after high school. I can't pay a college, i can barely pay my own expenses. Sometimes i wonder what will happen to me in the future... Besides the Phantom Thieves, what do I have waiting for me in the real world?

"Clown... Kagura..." Makoto touch me shoulder and I come back to reality. I shake my head. That's nothing I should be thinking about now. As long I have Makoto, and the rest of the Phantom Thieves with me, there's nothing I should be worrying about.

"We... are not the same, Kaneshiro. You can say whatever you want to me, but i won't make any mistakes in life. Life is hard, but as long I have people that support me, i won't be lost. Unlike you, i have people I can trust. I have a place where I belong. I'm a Phantom Thief. If I ended up being miserable, then I'll find a way to stop it, but I'm not like you and I will never be" Makoto smile at me.

"Don't worry, Kaneshiro. You'll finally have a place you belong. Somewhere you can make amends, for the rest of your life" She said.

"Let go of that Gold and return to the real Kaneshiro. It's all over" I said and Kaneshiro let go of the gold. He sits down next to it and starts to vanish, slowly.

" **Seriously? You guys don't have any tact. Especially with that incredible power... These Palaces could net you loads of cash! You could do whatever you want to people's hearts!** "

"We are not like you!" Makoto yell. "We won't mess with innocent people's heart to take advantage of them"

" **Hahaha... Where do you find meaning in that naive sense of justice...? You know, there's already someone out there taking full advantage of what Palaces have to offer...** " He said and Makoto's eyes widen.

"What?" She asks and i crossed my arms.

"The man with the black mask" I said.

" **Exactly... I'll let you in on a little something... That criminal is using other people's Palaces to accomplish whatever they damn well please. They don't care about consequences. Psychotic breakdowns, mental shutdowns... Anything goes...** "

"So that's what he's been doing... Who is he and where I can find him!?" I ask and Kaneshiro laugh. "Answer me!"

" **Don't even bother. You are nothing compared to them... Better be careful... A chance encounter with them could prove fatal...** **But you already fight him, didn't you Kobayashi? He knows who you are and he's watching you from the Shadows, waiting... Be careful, Kobayashi...** " He said and disappear.

"... What was he talking about?" Makoto ask me. "There's another Persona User out there?"

"Yes, I'll explain it later, now we have to-" The whole Palace start shaking violently and everything start to crumble. "We have to leave now!"

"Then we should take the Treasure... Wait... All the Gold is the Treasure!" She points at the mountain of gold in front of us. "How do we take it out!? It must weight a ton" I saw the giant hole in the ground. I could see the city below us.

"I have an idea... Let's drop it down there"

"What!?"

"We can't take it to the entrance and looks like that as soon we enter, the Palace start flying again. Let's drop the gold and get out of the Metaverse" I explain.

"R-Right, let's do it!" We grab the gold and push it all to the edge of the hole. "Prepare to jump out of the Metaverse, ready!?"

"Ready!" I yell and we jump we the gold. I try to summon Kuma Lisa but i couldn't do it, she didn't respond. While we were falling we saw the rest of the group right above us. We were going to fall on top of them, but luckily we all get out of the Metaverse and ended up in the intersection of Shibuya...

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

Me and the rest of the group were following the Palace. As soon Kagura and Makoto went it, the whole place started to fly away and we had to follow it around. Luckily, it starts going in circles so we didn't have to run after it. We wait in an intersection in Shibuya and, suddenly, the UFO stop moving.

"Hey, it stop" Said Ryuji. "Now what?"

"We should wait" Said Morgana. "I'm sure Queen and Clown are alright"

"How can you be so sure?" Yusuke asks. "I'm worried about them"

"Calm down, Fox. Clown has been doing this alone for quite a while. It'll be foolish to think that she'll lose this battle" Morgana explain.

"You are right about that" Said Ann. "Still, i'm quite worried too. Queen is new on this, i wonder if she will drag Clown down"

"I don't think so" Said Morgana. I look up and wonder what was going on inside that Palace. Everyone was worried and I'm not any exception. I'm worried too. Still, I trust that Kagura can accomplish this without failure. She's our leader and she's powerful enough to accomplish anything. In that moment, the lower part of the UFO exploded and part of the debris fall next to us.

"Woah! What the hell!?" Ryuji ask. We look up and wait for something else to come up, but nothing happened for at least two minutes... Then we saw them. Kagura and Makoto jump from the hole of the ship and fall right toward us with giant gold ingots next to them. "Is that Gold!?" The UFO exploded and the whole Palace disappear.

"They are falling!" Ann yell. "They are going to crush us!" We run away and in the blink of an eye, we came out of the Metaverse, right in the middle of a crowd. Kagura fall on top of Yusuke and Makoto on top of Ryuji.

"Argh!" Ryuji yell when Makoto fall on top of him. "W-W-What the hell was that!?" Ryuji asks and Makoto, carefully, stand up. "That was so reckless of you!"

"S-Sorry" Said Makoto and stand up.

"... Ugh" Said Kagura in pain. She was on top of Yusuke. Both of them were facing the floor. "I think i kill someone... And my back in the process..."

"Sorry, Ryuji, but the Palace exploded" Said Makoto. "We didn't have any other option but to throw the Treasure through that hole. I mean, those were giant gold ingots! There was no way to could take it to the entrance and... The Palace was flying again, why?" Makoto asks.

"I don't know, when you both enter the Palace, that thing fly away" Ryuji explain.

"Ugh... My back hurts" Said Kagura and look at Yusuke who was facing the ground. "Holy shit! Yusuke, are you alright?" Kagura get off on top of Yusuke and help him to stand up.

"Y-Yes, but you were quite heavy" He answers.

"H-Hey, I'm not that heavy! It was the falling!" Kagura yelled. "Ugh, anyways, Are you okay, Makoto?"

"Yes, i thought we were gonna die for a moment" She said.

"Speak for yourself. You fall on top of us!" Said Ann. "Ack! Everyone's staring at us!" She said we look around. We came out of the Metaverse just in the middle of a crowd.

"Ignore them, Ann" I said. "We should get going now and talk somewhere else"

"Yes... Thank goodness nobody was hurt. Again, Sorry about that, Ryuji" Said Makoto and Ryuji just shake his head.

"It's okay, you were pretty light..." Ryuji look around, then point at the street. "Uhhh, I wouldn't say that nobody was hurt... Look at the middle of the street" We saw Morgana in the middle of the street, knocked out cold by a golden briefcase. "That briefcase..."

"It appears to have been the cause of Morgana's demise..." Said Yusuke and Kagura laugh a little at that comment.

"So Morgana's dead... I can finally stay awake until midnight now" I whispered

"That's not what I meant! Isn't that Kaneshiro's..." Ryuji point out.

"Oh, right, the gold!" Said Kagura and run to the briefcase. She grabs it and takes Morgana with her. "Woah, this thing is a little heavy!" She gave the briefcase to Ryuji and he felt the weight.

"You weren't kidding... Is this real gold?" Ryuji asks.

"Maybe... We'll find out soon enough" Said Makoto.

"Let's go to my house. We'll open the briefcase there... And resurrect Morgana" Said Kagura while grabbing Morgana by the skin.

"... Kagura... You're an angel..." Morgana whisper.

"More like a demon..." She whispers back and we walk away.

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

We go to my house and gather in the living room while Yusuke tries to open the briefcase. I give Morgana some water we wait. While we did that, I turn on the TV and watch what was in, but nothing caught my eye.

"Did you open it?" I ask and Yusuke shakes his head.

"It's sealed by a rotary lock. We'll need the combination to open it" He said.

"Try with 1234 or 0000, hahaha" I joked and Yusuke tries it.

"No, it didn't work"

"It was a joke. No one in their right minds will use that combination in a briefcase. Not even as a password in their computer" I sigh. "Wait here, I'll go for the screwdriver"

"No, wait... I think i know the combination" Said Makoto and take the briefcase. "I saw Kaneshiro open a briefcase when we were in that club. I saw him putting the combination, maybe it's the same for this one" Makoto put the number and unlock the briefcase. "Done"

"Woah, Makoto. You're awesome!" Said Ryuji and get closer to the table. "What's inside?"

"Calm down, i'm open it" Said Makoto and open the briefcase, inside there was money. A lot of money.

"Holy shit!" Ryuji yell. "H-How much is this!?"

"This is a dream, right? Please tell me it is a dream" I said. I never saw so much money.

"I believe one stack is one million yen..." Said Yusuke.

"And... There are thirty stacks... Thirty million yen... I can't believe it" I said and grab one stack. "It's so... Huh?" As soon as i look at the money closer, something wasn't right.

"Holy shit... It's gonna be deluxe pork soup combo for me from here on out!" Said Ryuji daydreaming about the food.

"You have to think bigger than that!" Said Morgana.

"Why don't you save it for once?" Akira ask.

"Ummm... Guys... This money... I think is fake" I said.

"I was about to say the same thing" Said Yusuke. "Look closer"

"What!?" Ann asks and take the stack i had in my hands. We saw the face of Kaneshiro's Shadow on the money. "Children's Bank!?"

"For real!?" Ryuji yell. "Noo!"

"I guess this represents... how everything he did was an act to make himself seem tough...?" Makoto asks.

"Who cares anymore...?" I said and sigh. "We deal with him, that's what matters... Hm, at least the briefcase is nice. I mean, it's made of gold, right?"

"That's debatable," Said Akira. "But i think it's worth something"

"Well, at least it feels like we totes busted this case, right?" Ann ask.

"But you didn't do anything" I said.

"What do you mean, Ann? Is busting a case good or bad...?" Makoto asks.

"Both!" Ann answer and Makoto laugh.

"Snrk... Ahahahaha! To think the reward for the Phantom Thieves is feeling they "totes busted" the case... Ahhh... How funny!"

"By the way Morgana, have any of your memories returned?" Yusuke asks.

"No, not at all... We should actually go to Mementos for that" Morgana answer.

"C'mon, did that hit to your head make you forget even more?" Ryuji asks

"It's easy for you to talk. You're not the one who lost your memories" Morgana almost yell at him.

"You have amnesia...?" Makoto asks. Now that i remember, we never told her that detail.

"Something like that. He does remember searching for Treasures though" Ann answer.

"Hm. I hope your memories return soon then" Said Makoto. "So... what happens next? We have to wait now?"

"Yes. We have to wait for Kaneshiro to have his change of heart" I explain.

"It's gonna be big this time. People're gonna make a huge deal out of it, for sure" Ryuji was excited about it.

"Hey, Kagura, i just remember... What Kaneshiro said in the end... About that "criminal" using the Metaverse" Said Makoto and everyone looked at me.

"He mentions that too?" Ryuji asks. "So that man with the Black Mask is still out there"

"He confirms it" I said. "But he didn't tell me his name, meaning that he knew about him, he knows who he is... But what makes me nervous... Is that he knows who i am and Kaneshiro told me that he's watching me. I don't know what he wants, but i might as well be more careful when i go out"

"Wait, if he knows who you are, then he knows us too" Said Ann. "We should be careful too" There was a complete silence in the room, no one said a word. The silence was broken when Ryuji speak up.

"No point mullin' over it now. Let's wait and see how Kaneshiro's change of heart goes first" He said. "We should prolly just lay low for a while... We shouldn't freak out about this man. I bet that if he wanted to, he could've killed Kagura before"

"... Maybe you are right. Still, we should be careful. We don't know who are we dealing with" Said Makoto and we keep talking about Kaneshiro's Palace until it was time for them to leave.

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

Today events weren't what i was expecting at all. I wanted to go too and help, but in the end we had to let them go by themselves to steal the Treasure. I felt useless. Shortly after talking about who should sell the briefcase We all went for separate ways. While i was going back to the Cafe, Morgana came out of my bag and start talking to me.

"That Kaneshiro truly was an evil stain on society" He said.

"Tell me about it. For what Kagura and Makoto told us, he was the worst" I said while I walk. It was getting dark really fast.

"Same with Kamoshida and Madarame too. They hurt and exploited others just to satisfy their desires... Still, there were people around them who noticed their terrible deeds, weren't there? I wonder why they turned a blind eye... Why doesn't anyone help?"

"... Maybe they were too scared, Morgana. Remember what happen to Kamoshida. Students defend him because they were scared that he punish them more than usual. Madarame uses his students and if one of them turn against him, he could easily end their artistic career. People were scared" I explain.

"So it's because they don't have the courage. Humans are so weak... Humans... Hey, do you think I'll really be able to become a human?" Morgana asked and i answer right away.

"I'm sure you will. Not today, not tomorrow, but eventually" I respond. "Be more confident about yourself"

"Y-Yeah! You are right! I'll go back to being human! Thanks, Akira"

"I didn't do too much, you know" I said and feel my bond with him going deeper, little by little.

* * *

 ** _6/27 Monday_**

 _Junya Kaneshiro turns himself in yesterday at midnight. The police were confused about why he did it until he admits receiving a Calling Card from the Phantom Thieves. Now Sae Niijima was looking at her computer while thinking about the case. She feels like the Phantom Thieves were mocking the whole police department, no... the whole police in Japan._

 _"No matter how hard they looked, even our organized-crime department couldn't catch Junya Kaneshiro... And yet he simply turned himself in-even confessed all his crimes. The Phantom Thieves..." Sae whispers and remembers her conversation with Makoto days ago._

 ** _"Is it a crime to manipulate someone's heart?"_**

 ** _"Depending on the means, yes. Akechi's absolutely right"_**

 _ **"Even if it makes someone admit their evil deeds and helps make them pay for their crimes?"** That specific memory sticks in her head for a while now. She couldn't stop thinking about it. The Phantom Thieves were criminals to her eyes, but to think that Makoto was thinking otherwise it makes her worry even more._

 _"I hope she hasn't fallen under their influence..."_

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

We gather today in Shibuya to talk about Kaneshiro who turns himself in pretty quickly. I was expecting him to do it in a couple of days, but this works too. I was proud about this. We all were there except for Makoto who was still at school.

"Hell yeah! Kaneshiro finally confessed!" Ryuji said excitedly. "People've been makin' a huge deal of it since the police announcement!"

"It's difficult to accept that authorities are taking all of the credit for his arrest" Said Yusuke, sadly.

"People are going nuts about the Phantom Thieves online though" Said Ann.

"It was expected. After all those posters in Shibuya" I said.

"This is quite the turnaround. All of a sudden, people are expressing their long-standing belief in us" Said Yusuke.

"We are kinda like celebrities now... I don't think i like that" I express my concern.

"Don't worry about it, Clown. Everything will be alright" Said Ryuji. "Oh... Where is our amazing Miss President?"

"Makoto? She stays behind. She said she needs to do something first" I explain.

"Oh, then we should gather later then. Anyway, what do you think about our next target?" Ryuji asks excitedly.

"Don't get ahead of yourself" Said Ann.

"She's right, Ryuji" Said Akira. "Let's lay low. We still have that man with the black mask we need to be worried about, remember?"

"Oh, right. That... I guess you are right, still, i can't wait for our next target" He was still excited.

"Ugh... Your priorities aren't in place" I said.

"Hey, why don't we have another celebration?" Ann ask.

"Good idea! We can make it a welcomin' party for Miss President too" Said Ryuji. "By the way, that briefcase? It's pretty damn expensive! Let's use the cash on our party!"

"Hey, how about we use that money for the next party? I was thinking about something that doesn't involve money. Up until now, we spend all the money on the celebration. Why do you come to my apartment and have dinner there?" I ask them and Ann was alright with it, the same with Yusuke and Akira.

"True, we can keep the money for the next celebration. Let's have something calm, a dinner would be nice. Are you cooking?" Ann ask

"I was hoping one of you help me. Are you expecting me to do everything? I'm not your mother, you know" I said and we all laugh.

"I'm surprised, Kagura. You've changed so quickly, what happened?" Ann asked me and i just notice it now. Did I really change that much? How and when did it happen?

"I don't know... But i think it's nice to have more people around. I still kinda hate Ryuji for yelling about being a Phantom Thief"

"Hey! I said I'm sorry!" Ryuji yell

"Yeah, yeah... Whatever you say, Sakamoto"

"Stop calling me by my last name!"

* * *

 **Makoto's POV**

The Principal called me to his office. I knew why. I send him my report regarding the Phantom Thieves and the students that were victims of Kaneshiro. When i enter his office, he didn't look happy at all, but i didn't care about that. I knew what he was going to say and i know what i was going to say too. I won't stay silent now.

"Care to explain?" He ask and shows me my report on the table.

"I believe in what i wrote... "The Phantom Thieves are just." There's nothing more to say about that" I said with determination.

"Have you figured out who they are?" The Principal ask me

"No, I'm nowhere close to that. However, after considering all the fact, I concluded there are no errors in their acts or principles. Thus, upon deeming them to be on the side of justice, I have decided to end my investigation"

"But that's impossible!"

"Impossible...? May I see the evidence you have that leads you to believe so?" I was starting to have a little fun with how he was reacting to this. Going against the Principal never felt this good.

"I was just speaking to the director of a prestigious college about your letter of recommendation too" He said and i shake my head.

"There will be no need for that letter anymore. I intend on getting into a good college by my own merit. Now then, if you'll excuse me" I turn around and leave.

"Hey, we're not done here!" The Principal yell and i stop in front of the door.

"Oh, and just for the record... Kagura is not dragging me down. She's supporting me... If anything, i'm the one that is making her feeling miserable" I said and get out of the office. I let out a sigh and walk away...

* * *

 _Kagura makes a little pause and closed her eyes for a moment. She knew that while she was telling all this, Sae was trying to not lose her patience. Sae hit the table and yell at her._

 _"Don't be ridiculous!" She yells. "This new ally you gained was Makoto!?" Sae hit the table again. Kagura wasn't reacting to her screaming. She wasn't intimidated by Sae at all. "Just tell me the truth!"_

 _"... You're clueless, Sae" Said Kagura. "Why can't you accept the truth?"_

 _"...!" Sae didn't answer. She looked troubled, even hurt. "T-That's preposterous. If what you say is true... Was Makoto also running from the police when you were arrested!?"_

 _"... Yes"_

 _"Now that I think about it... She did start talking a lot about the investigation from summer onward..." Sae sighed. "Makoto aside, you mentioned one other important detail. Did Kaneshiro really say there was someone using the Metaverse besides the Phantom Thieves?" She asks and Kagura just nodded. "Those words could just be taken as you shifting blame to this other person, you know. You did mention a man with a Black mask before. Maybe you are blaming him for your own crimes"_

 _"Take it how you will, Sae..." Said Kagura and grab her head. It hurt a lot, she was trying to not fall from exhaustion._

 _"I see... But why would you fabricate such an elaborate story and then shift the blame elsewhere...? There are two possibilities: either you've simply been trying to confuse me with your lies... Or everything you've stated is true... Have you been telling me the truth from the very start...?"_

 _"... Why would i be lying now? There might not be a way out of this so i might as well tell the whole truth. You are Makoto's sister and i have to trust that you'll do the right thing after all this is over..."_

 _"Does that mean you're placing your trust in me?" Sae asks and Kagura nodded._

 _"I wouldn't do it after what Makoto told me. You said her that I'll drag her down and i'm some kind of dead weight... That's not something very nice to say, but now my future is in your hands so i have to at least blindly trust in you and i suggest you to do the same..."_

 _"So Makoto told you that... I wasn't expecting you to bring that up... Very well. No matter how absurd it may seem, I'll reevaluate my stance on believing you for now. In return, speak the whole truth, and nothing but the truth"_

 _"Just like I've been doing all this time..." Kagura whisper._

 _"Let's move on to your next target..." Sae opens the files and show her the picture of a High School girl from Shujin Academy. She had long black hair, thick glasses, and a black turtle neck. "You remember her, don't you?"_

 _"Oh, right... How could I forget her?" Said Kagura and touch her scar. "She was a serious case, let me tell you... Misaki Hanazawa, one of my classmates..."_

 _"We weren't expecting that a girl like her could be able to do such horrendous crimes... A really twisted girl... How did you discover her?"_

 _"Well, to tell the truth, it was a coincidence... If it wasn't for her twin brother, then we wouldn't have known..."_

* * *

 ** _Are you all ready for an original Palace I come up with? Me neither XD It will be heavy, I can assure you that. Still, what do you think so far? Let me know in the Reviews_**


	32. Not so Peaceful Days

**_Sorry for the wait. I've been busy with work. Anyway, here you have the first chapter of the new Palace. Enjoy it. The next chapter will be intense, really intense._**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 31: Not so Peaceful Days  
_**

 _A boy opens his eyes, slowly. He looks tiredly around the room and found himself in an unknown place. He doesn't know where he was or how he ended up there. His eyes widen as he starts to feel his body. His hands were tied behind his back and he was sitting in a wooden chair. The room where he was looked like an abandoned library. The floor was completely covered by papers and old books turn apart. He boy tries to break free, but it was useless. A Shadow appears in front of him in the blink of an eye. He looks up and saw glowing yellow eyes looking at him. The light reveals the Shadow to be a girl using a school uniform, she was wearing a clown mask._

 _"Wh-What? Wh-Where am I?" He asks and his kidnapper takes out a knife from her pocket. "Wha-What are you doing with that?" He asks, but the girl laughs innocently. "Don't laugh! What are you doing!? Where am I!?" He yells at the girl and she slowly places the knife on his right leg. The knife went through his skin, slowly. The boy yells and tries to make her stop, but when he kicked her, she pulls off the knife and stabs him in the shoulder._

 _"That's something you don't do to a lady... You and I are going to spend some time alone... Completely alone, to get to know each other very well... Very... Very... Well" She said with a seductive voice. "First... Let us see what do you have under your clothes..."_

 _"F-Fuck you!"_

 _"Ohhh... Poor thing, You are angry at me... That's something I wouldn't do... If I was in your place, I'll better enjoy it... Because after I'm done with you... I'll throw you in the Trash and find myself another boyfriend"_

 _"Who the fuck do you think you are!?"_

 _"Me? I'm just a girl who wants to have fun... A girl who likes to get in troubles... A girl who wants to be free from the chains of society..." She said and stab him again, this time in the stomach. "Now then, let's start the game... My little mouse"_ **  
**

* * *

 _ **6/30 Thursday**_

 **Kagura's POV**

I was sitting on my desk, looking at the blackboard and the teacher writing on it. We were listening talking about history, about the independence of the South American countries. To be honest, I wasn't paying attention. Something was bothering me. This morning I remember that dream again and it makes me wonder about Philemon. Where is he? Can he see me? Why can I talk to him? It was like he vanishes, I know that that wasn't the case, but still, something wasn't right. Now we are seven people in the Phantom Thieves, we are a big group now so it will be a little troublesome when we go and invade a Palace. The teacher focus on the blackboard for a moment and a couple of female students murmured next to me. I end up hearing the conversation.

"Hey, did you see the news? They found a dead body in a trash can" Said the girl and that picked my curiosity. "Supposedly it was there for an entire day"

"Seriously!?" Ask the other girl. "What happened to him?"

"I don't know, but it was a student from a high school in the area. Maybe the Principal will talk about it tomorrow or maybe today, but it was gross. He was stabbed multiple times all around his body, even in the face"

"Oh my God! That disgusting!" They continue murmur to each other and my eyes go focus on the blackboard again. School ended like usual and we gather in Shibuya in our hideout. I was the first on arriving, Makoto was next and then the rest. Ryuji was looking at his phone, he was looking at the post about the dead body found in the school area. Akira was talking with Morgana about something involving infiltration tools, Makoto and Ann were talking about random things and I was looking at the street, next to me was Yusuke who was looking with me. Ryuji was the first on talking to the group.

"Hey! Did you hear about that student they found dead inside a trash can?" He asked and we all nodded.

"It was really bizarre" Said Yusuke. "It wasn't a student of my school, neither of yours, still I can't think of the fear that this will cause"

"It's already freaking out people online. Look at the Phantom Aficionado Website. Everyone is freaking out and asking us to do something about it. They seriously want us to step in..." Said Ryuji and a smile appear on his face. "Imagine if we catch this person. We'll be heroes"

"Aren't we already heroes?" I ask. "Or something like that?"

"I wouldn't call us heroes, but we aren't that far from the category. Anyway, Ryuji, the obvious problem would be finding this person. Unlike Kaneshiro, we have no clue of the killer... And to be honest, dealing with a killer is not something I'm eager to do" Said Makoto.

"She's right. Let's leave this to the police, Ryuji" Said Akira. "Besides, it's not like it's a serial killer. I bet this person doesn't even have a Palace"

"Careful, you never know" Said Morgana and get out of Akira's bag. "We might as well do a little of investigation, but like Makoto said, we have no actual clue. Only the police might have something"

"Still, this might be our next target" Said Ryuji excitedly.

"Possible next target" I said. "We don't know who this person is and where is he"

"He might be near us" Said Yusuke. "Waiting in the Shadows to kill his next victim"

"Don't say things like that, it's freaking me out!" Said Ann

"Joking aside, Let's change the subject for now" Said Yusuke. "We reunite here to talk about that celebration, right?" He asks and we all remember why we were here in the first place. I almost forgot that.

"Oh, right!" Said Ryuji. "I want sushi!"

"Me too!" Said Ann. "Kagura, It's up to you to make sushi!"

"... We agree on having a dinner in my house, but don't expect me to make sushi. I don't even know how to make sushi, I'm not a chef. Besides, you'll be helping me, Ann" I point at her.

"Huh!? Why me?" Ann looked surprised

"Because I refuse to cook alone for five people and a cat!" I yell.

"Hey!" Said Morgana.

"I mean SIX people, seven counting me" I correct my sentence. "I'm not your mother, you know"

"I'll help you" Said Makoto. "We can celebrate this Sunday and spend the day together"

"Sure, Mom will be there though. Still, she won't be a problem"

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

After discussing about our next celebration I walk to Central Street and go straight to the bookstore. I was looking for a new book to read while I take the subway on my way to school. Morgana was sleeping inside my bag so I had to be a little careful to not wake him up. Sometimes it bothers me to drag him everywhere I go. It was like I had no actual freedom with him bossing me around like I'm some kind of child and making me go to sleep early. I wish Kagura's mother wasn't allergic to cats so I can get rid of him. I don't hate him, it's just that he's annoying after a while. I remain quiet about it because I don't want to hurt his feelings, but eventually, I'll lose it if this keeps up. I walk around the store and saw a lonely book with a black cover. It picks my attention and I walk toward it. I extend my hand to grab it, but another hand appear out of nowhere and touch the book at the same time I did. Our hands touch each other and I look at the owner of the hand, my eyes end up looking at a girl, but not just any girl. The girl I see from time to time here in Shibuya and sometimes at school. The girl with a pink turtleneck cardigan with short puffed sleeves with a long-sleeved white shirt underneath. She always stands out every time I see her. Not only that, her hair was something I can't forget either since I saw her for the first time, her eyes look right at my eyes and we stare at each other for a moment before she retreats her hand and let go of the book.

"S-Sorry" She said. "A-Are you going to buy that book?" She asks me a little ashamed. I simply shake my head.

"N-No, I was just curious, that's all" I said. The girl stares at me again and her eyes widen. "Is something wrong?"

"... I know you" She said. "You are that Transfer Student people were talking about a couple of months ago," She said with a smile. She didn't seem bothered or scared. "I hear a lot of rumors about you. All of them were exaggerated... Aren't they?" She asks me with a little concern. I decided to answer honestly.

"They were completely exaggerated" I answer.

"So you never kill a man?" She asks me and I shake my head. "You are not the member of a gang?" I keep shaking my head. "You are not plotting to take over the school?"

"... Who told you my secret plan?" I joked. "Was it Sakamoto? I knew it! He yells a lot, maybe I should get rid of him" I said with a serious expression but I end up laughing and she laughs with me.

"Hahahahahaha, good one. I thought you were serious about that a moment ago... Part of me knew that does rumors were just exaggerated. You look like a nice person. By the way, I don't really know your name. I hear a lot of rumors about you, but no name" She said.

"Oh, my name Akira Kurusu. And you are...?"

"Haru Okumura" She said with a smile. That smile, that sweet smile of her make the world stop for a moment. It was like she was an angel disguised as a human. "So you are not going to buy the book?"

"N-not really. You can have it" I grab the book and give it to her. She takes it and smiles again.

"Thank you so much!" She hugs the book. "I have to go now, but if you want to talk again... I'm always in the school rooftop on Saturdays. We can talk again... if you don't mind talking to me again"

"S-Sure. I'll see you again in school Haru. I actually can't wait for it" I smile at her and Haru blush a little.

"O-Oh, well... See ya..." She turns around and leaves. I saw her leaving the Bookstore and I couldn't stop looking at her. I end up going out from the store and look at her disappearing in the crowd. Morgana moves inside my bag and came out, he yawns and talks to me.

"Are we home yet?" He asks.

"No, I was buying something..." I said with staring at the crowd. Morgana notices it.

"Hey, what are you looking at?"

"I saw an angel..." I whisper

"What?"

"N-Nevermind" I said and walk away from the bookstore. While I walk, I couldn't stop thinking about Haru... She was the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my life... Wait... Am I falling for her? That won't end well... Why? Because I suck in love.

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

I was looking at the fridge, staring at the little food I had inside. I forgot to buy ingredients to make dinner. I look at the money of my wallet, it was enough to buy, but if I did I won't have any money for the weekend or anything to myself. My eyes focus on Yusuke who was sitting on the table, staring at his own hands, looks like something was on his mind, something was bothering him. Shortly after we end up the Phantom Thieves meeting, we come back home. Mom has already left so it was the two of us today here. Strangely enough, Yusuke was quiet and that was weird. He usually has something to say.

"Hey, is something wrong?" I ask and he looks at me.

"Actually, it is. I was wondering if you could go with me and Akira to Mementos tomorrow" He said and that caught me a little off guard.

"... Mementos? What for? A request or something?"

"Not really. I want inspiration for my next painting. Don't worry, I still want to paint you..."

"That's still worrying in so many levels..." I whisper.

"But I don't know what exactly should I paint next. A thought come to me early... What if I decided to paint a human emotion? My own interpretation... And Akira recommends me to go to Mementos, so I want to go tomorrow and I want you to come with me and Akira. The rest can come too, if they want" Yusuke explain. I wasn't against his request, maybe he was nervous that I decline.

"Sure, I don't mind" I said then remember something important. "... Wait, tomorrow is Friday... I have to work tomorrow. Sorry, but maybe you should go with Akira. I'm busy tomorrow"

"I understand. You have obligations and I understand... Luckily I buy more supplies for tomorrow to start painting" Yusuke smile.

"Good for you" I smile at him.

"But on the bad side is that I don't have money until next week..." He said and at the same time his stomach growl.

"... Yusuke... Tell me you had lunch"

"No"

"..." The silence filled the room and I break it with a sigh. "... Goddammit... Why are you like that?" I grab my wallet, keys and walk to the door. "You wait here, I'm buying dinner" I open the door and Yusuke stand up.

"I'm going with you" He said and follow me outside the apartment. I didn't say anything against it. After an hour we were returning home with a bag with ingredients to make curry. On our way home I couldn't stop thinking about the kind of life I'm living. I never thought that I'll have someone else living in my house, I never thought that I'll have more member in the Phantom Thieves and I certainly never thought that I'll be talking with a cat that claims to be human. If by any chance I can tell my younger self what awaits her in the future she will certainly laugh at me and deny it. Life is unexpected... Also, I can't believe I spend all my money on food... For Yusuke's sake. What the hell is wrong with me? Why I'm feeling pity for him?

"... I'm making curry" I said. "The next time you decided to spend all your money on art supplies, I'll cut your hands off" I threat him. "You should save your money for later, I refuse to take the role of your mother"

"You shouldn't worry about me, I'm used to not eating too much. In fact, I lasted an entire day without eating" He said proudly and I slap him on the back of his head. "Ow!"

"You should eat properly. I'm not taking care of you if you get sick or end up dying. I'm busy"

"You say that but you do care about my well being" He said and he was right... kinda.

"... Whatever you say"

* * *

 _ **Phantom Aficionado Website (CHAT)**_

 **T** _ **heAssassin** : Did you saw the news!? That's messed up!_

 _ **FanGirl1993** : What are they waiting for?_

 _ **DevilSurvivor** : Maybe they are searching for the killer. I don't know._

 _ **FanGirl1993:** I personally knew the victim and I want them to bring that asshole to justice. Steal his heart already!_

 _ **GamerAtWork666** : Calm Down. They'll do something about it._

 _ **InabaWildCard** : This "Phantom Thieves" think they are justice? I'm not against them, I just want to know._

 _ **VincentBrooks** : I don't care as long they do what's right._

 _ **DevilSurvivor** : You're right... Although, I'm curious, Who are they? And why are they doing it?_

 _ **AkechiFan123** : I bet they are losers living in their parent's attic_

 _ **GamerAtWork666** : We have an Akechi fan Ladies and gentlemen! Get the F*** out of here!_

 _ **VincentBrooks** : Everyone is welcomed here, you know_

 _ **JackFrostLover** : Let's not insult each other._

 _ **DevilSurvivor** : Now, the million dollar question... Who's the killer?_

 _ **AkechiFan123** : Who cares? Let the police handle that._

 _ **VincentBrooks** : Maybe he's a police officer, just like that murderer in Inaba_

 _ **InabaWildCard** : ... Maybe_

 _ **JackFrostLover** : Now, Who wants to talk about murder? (Yeah!)_

 _ **FanGirl1993** : All of you talk too much. Is someone here who has any useful information!?_

 _ **AnonymousUser** : ..._

 _ **AnonymousUser** : I know who the killer is..._

 _ **VincentBrooks** : ..._

 _ **JackFrostLover** : ..._

 _ **GamerAtWork** : ..._

 _ **InabaWildCard** : ..._

 _ **DevilSurvivor** : ... Good one, Dude._

 _ **FanGirl1993** : Yeah, right..._

 _ **Skull** : Tell me everything you know_

 _ **AnonymousUser** : Is not a "He", is a "She". That's all you need to know. I'll personally talk with the Phantom Thieves about this... I know who they are and they go to the same high school I attend._

 _ **GamerAtWork** : Stop talking shit, Dude. How can you possibly know that!_

 _ **AnonymousUser** : Because one of them yell about it at the Countryard of my high school and I heard it all._

 _ **Skull** : ..._

 ** _(Skull has disconnected)_**

* * *

 _ **7/1 Friday**_

 **Kagura's POV**

The next day I arrive at the Cafe after school and find a lot of customers inside. Sojiro told me to work in the kitchen today so I get to work as fast as I could. In one moment I was in the kitchen washing the dishes and the other I was taking the orders from the customers and helping Sojiro making coffee. It was like that for the next couple of hours until they all left. I wasn't expecting a lot of people today, it catches me off guard completely. I walk to the kitchen and finish to wash all the dishes. Sojiro sits next to the counter and watches the TV. The newscaster was talking about the student that was found dead inside the trash can. When Sojiro saw that, he looked away for a moment.

"This is messed up... Who would kill a kid and throw him in the trash?" He asks and I answer.

"A psychopath, for sure" I said. "Everyone at school is talking about it and today the Principal give us a speech and told us to go back home as soon school is over. Clubs are suspended until further notice... I'm not part of any club, so that doesn't affect me at all"

"Make sure to be careful on your way home. It might've happened in the school area, but that doesn't mean that you should wander around here. Who knows what might happen" Sojiro was worried about me, I could see it. "Oh... And make sure Akira don't get in troubles. The streets are dangerous"

"Okay" I keep washing and Sojiro yawn. "Are you tired?"

"It's pretty obvious, isn't it?" He said and leave the keys on the counter. "Can you stay for a moment and wait for him? There's a killer running around, the last thing I want is for him to appear dead tomorrow"

"I have his number. I'll tell him to come back as soon as possible"

"Thanks... I'll leave for today. Wait for him and make sure to close after you leave. See you tomorrow" Sojiro left and I finish washing the dishes after a couple of minutes. I make sure everything was in place and prepare to leave, but before that, I send Akira a message. I thought I was texting him directly, but I end up writing on the Phantom Thieves group.

" _Hey, Akira. Are you coming back to the Cafe? Sojiro is "kinda" worried about you showing up dead tomorrow,_ " I write.

" _What do you mean "Kinda"?_ " He writes.

" _He's obviously worried about you_ " Yusuke write.

" _He might not be part of your family, but he's still your guardian_ " Makoto write.

" _You're right about that_ " Ann write.

" _What are you all doing- Oh, I just write in the chat room. Goddammit"_ I write. " _Anyway, just come back here so I can go home_ "

" _I'm going. I had to help Yusuke with something_ " He write.

" _We are on our way, Kagura. Don't worry about us_ " Yusuke write.

" _I'm not worried, I just want to leave the Cafe_ "

" _Hey, does any of you saw Ryuji today?_ " Ann ask. " _He looked nervous_ "

" _I didn't talk to him today_ " Akira write. " _Maybe he has something to do today_ "

" _Maybe... Or maybe he screws up something and he's waiting for his impending doom,_ " I write.

" _You write the weirdest things, Kagura_ " Yusuke write.

" _Because I'm the coolest_ **٩(◕‿◕｡)** ۶" I write and hear the door opening. I look up and saw a student of Shujin Academy entering. He had short black hair, glasses and was wearing his PE jacket on top of his uniform. He definitely stands out with that. He looks directly at me and takes out his glasses for a moment to clean them.

"... Sorry, but we just close up" I said and put my phone in my pocket. "Can I help you with something?"

"Kagura Kobayashi" He said and I nodded. "I need your help"

"My... help?" I ask, confuse. "I don't understand... What do you mean by that? I don't know you"

"You don't know me, but I know you... You are a Phantom Thief" He said out of nowhere and I froze up right there. I didn't know where to look or what to do. I wasn't expecting someone coming right here, to the place I work and told me that he knew my secret. I wasn't prepared for this at all.

"W-W-What are you talking about?" I try to play dumb, but it didn't work.

"Don't play dumb, I know it" He takes out his phone and plays a recording.

" _So you think it's true...? We'll be OK if we keep doing this... right?_ " It was Ann's voice.

" _We can't let the cops scare us outta bein' Phantom Thieves,_ " Ryuji said and I sigh. Of course, it had to be Ryuji. Why the fuck can he shut up!?

" _But... What about that weird guy from Madarame's Palace...? The one that attacked Kagura_ " Ann asks and the boy stop the recording there.

"Now... The fact that you mentioned Madarame was enough, but then they said Palace... At first, I was wondering what do they mean about the "Palace", because I heard it somewhere else... then I remember" The boy shows me his phone and the Metaverse app was right there. My eyes widen when I saw it and he smiles. "Another world... That's how you do it, don't you? I hear the word Palace there because I enter one... There's no point on playing dumb now, Kobayashi" He got me, I couldn't lie to him know that he knew it... If he had the app, that means he also has a Persona. But the question raises inside my head... How? How does he have the app? Who gives him the app? Was it Philemon? Or someone else? What is going on here!?

"... What do you want from me?" I ask and decided to do what he wants.

"I'm not planning on giving the recording to the police. I just want you, and the Phantom Thieves to help me to change someone's heart... If you do, not only I'll be in your debt, but you'll also save other students" He explained.

"What do you mean? WHo are you?"

"My name is Naoki Hanazawa and I want you to change my sister's heart before she kills someone else"

* * *

 _ **Phantom Aficionado Website (CHAT)**_

 **Devil Survivor** : Hey, what happened to the guy from yesterday? You know, the one who knows who the killer is...

 **FanGirl1993** : Who knows? Maybe he was lying about it

 **VincentBrooks** : Maybe not...

 **InabaWildCard** : Maybe he wanted attention

 **NotAnonymousUser** _ **:**_ Hello Internet! Hold on to your seats because I have a surprise for you all! **(ﾉ´ з `)ノ**

 **GamerAtWork** : You're not the guy from yesterday?

 **AkechiFan123** : What's the surprise?

 **NotAnonymousUser** : More like a game, actually... I want to play a game... with the Phantom Thieves.

 **JackFrostLover** : What do you mean by that?

 **NotAnonymousUser** : Take a Look at this... **( Link) Warning +18 only Σ(O_O)**

 **InabaWildCard** : What the!?

 **FanGirl1993** : Oh My God! What the fuck is wrong with you!? **  
**

 **JackFrostLover** : What the fuck!? That's gross!

 **VincentBrooks:** You're sick, Man!

 **AkechiFan123** : Are you the killer?

 **NotAnonymousUser** : Ding! Ding! Ding! Correct!

 **FanGirl1993** : What do you want!?

 **NotAnonymousUser** : I told you... I want to play a game with the Phantom Thieves. Tomorrow the corpse will appear in the Phantom Thieves's High school.

 **JackFrostLover** : You know who are they!?

 **NotAnonymousUser** : Not only I know who they are... But I will torture them... One by one... Starting with their leader...

 **Skull** : Why are you doing this!?

 **NotAnonymousUser** : ... Because I can... And I will do it... Just for the fun of it...


	33. The Girl with a Rotten Heart

**What are you all doing reading this fanfiction? Didn't you see what time is it!? GO TO SLEEP! (This is too much for you to read!)**

 **NOTE: The chapter was going to be larger than this, but I decided to make it sure to add a little of suspense, besides... I actually didn't have time to make it larger. I wanted to keep up with my (sometimes) weekly update. Enjoy it.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 32: The Girl with a Rotten Heart**_

 **Kagura's POV**

I was in the Cafe, sitting next to the counter, Akira and Yusuke were sitting in the booth facing Naoki Hanazawa. He was explaining to us why he had the Metaverse app and why he wanted us to change her sister's heart. Luckily, Akira and Yusuke appear shortly after Naoki make the request right in front of me. After this, we'll explain the situation to the rest tomorrow.

"Alright, explain yourself" Said Yusuke. Naoki takes a deep breath and explains the situation.

"Well, it all started a couple of months ago... That weird app appears on my phone. I didn't know what it was, I thought it was a virus so I delete it, but it keeps coming back no matter what I do... I decided to use it and I ended up in that place... That messed up place that is somehow related to my messed up sister"

"You enter her Palace?" Akira asks and Naoki nodded. "Then what happened there?"

"... She attacked me" He said and look down. "My own sister attacked me... Is not so different from how she treats me in real life, but she was more... violent somehow" Naoki explain. "That's when I awaken to my Persona... Shortly after that, I decided to never touch that app again, but it still haunts me... I think is talking to me somehow" Naoki was shaking when he mentions the Metaverse app like it was a tabu to even mention it.

"Your sister was always violent?" I ask.

"Not always, but she changes drastically after our parents died in a car accident... Now we are in custody of a distant relative that only send us money, but never check on us. He only cares about his work and position on the police or whatever he does, I stop carrying about him after he told us he didn't care about what we do... As a result of that, Misaki does whatever she wants, whenever she wants now that no one can tell her otherwise... I'm worried about what she might do next"

"What do you mean with "She can do whatever she wants"?" I ask and Naoki gulped.

"... She was always fighting with our parents. Dad hit her every time she does something bad, it was always like this... Our parents died three years ago and shortly after that, Misaki confessed to me that for the first time in years she felt " _Free_ ". I didn't know what she meant by that until she starts to arrive later than usual at home, sometimes she never come back for days and that's when I saw her torturing stray dogs and eventually... This happened. I don't want to go into details, but you get the idea. She was a troubled child before and without our parents, she's out of control now... She's like the Chaos without order" Naoki explains

"You said she killed someone..." Said Yusuke. "Do you mean that student that appear on TV?"

"Yes... She kills that student... I saw her carrying the body... She forces me to help her to put him in that trash can. I couldn't stop shaking when I get back home... She forces me to drag a corpse..." When Naoki confirm it, we all remain quiet. "That's why I want you to change her heart... If I go to the police, they won't take me seriously... Not even our guardian... and even if they took me seriously, Misaki doesn't leave evidence... Every time I try to expose her, she cut me..." Naoki pulls up his sleeves and shows us scars on his arms. We all stand up in surprise when we saw them. "You know what's worst? She almost cut one of my fingers. She threat me to kill me and dump me in a river if the police ever appear on our door asking about the murders. My twin sister, the girl that I used to care about has turned into a psychotic bitch..." Naoki hit the table. "Goddammit!"

"H-Hey, calm down" Said Akira.

"I can't calm down! You don't have any idea of how long she's been like this. Who knows what she'll do next... This is my request for the Phantom Thieves... Please... Change my sister's heart" Naoki look at us, he was about to cry. I didn't know what to think about this. A girl about our age killed another student... It happened before, certainly, but is still so surprising to hear...

"... We'll help you" Said Yusuke. "We certainly can't overlook this. We will bring your sister to justice"

"You are right" Said Akira. "We need to take care of this as quickly as possible"

"We need to call the others and explain them the situation" Said Morgana and Naoki look at him. "Crap!"

"... Who said that?" He asks and Morgana hides again in Akira's bag. "Did that cat just talk...?" We forgot the fact that Naoki could enter the Metaverse, that means that he could hear Morgana talk.

"... M-Maybe" Said Akira. "W-We'll explain it tomorrow. Just go back home and come to Shibuya after school. We'll talk there"

"Ri-Right... Th-Thank you so much, seriously" Naoki stand up and shake Akira's hands. "Thank you, I'm in your debt"

"Ye-Yeah..." Said Akira and I step in.

"Wait, I have a question... With that recording, you could've go to talk with Ryuji or Ann or even Akira, why me?" I ask and that's what was bothering me.

"They mentioned you and I end up following all of you around and hearing your conversations, and from the looks of it, you seem like the leader of the group... You are not so discreet as you think you are if you have one of your members yelling about the Phantom Thieves" Naoki explain and I sigh.

"... From now on we'll use my house as a hideout" I said. "If he found out about us, then who knows who else knows"

"Certainly, we should be more careful from now on. We are a big group now" Said Yusuke.

"Naoki. Go back home and tomorrow I'll take you to my home. We'll gather there tomorrow as our new hideout" I said and they all nodded. "Calm down, tomorrow we'll take care of things"

"Thank you, I-"

"I know, you owe us one. Just go" I point at the door and he gets out of the Cafe. "Seriously... I'm going to kill Ryuji" I said as soon Naoki leave.

"Calm down, Kagura. He didn't do it on purpose" Said Akira. "Besides, Makoto recorded us too. I think it was the same conversation"

"Ugh... One of this days I'm having a heart attack, but before that, I'll take one of you with me to the grave"

"You are being too dramatic" Said Morgana and I hit the table.

"And you all are too careless. The last thing we need is to have the police right behind our backs!"

"... We should prepare for tomorrow" Said Morgana. "We'll explain the details to the rest once we gather in the new hideout"

"Fine... Yusuke, let's go. I'm tired and I just want to sleep" I massage my forehead. He nodded and we leave the Cafe...

* * *

 **Phantom Aficionado Website (CHAT)**

 **CoolAdminMishi** : What is going on here!?

 **NotAnonymousUser** : Well, Well, Well, the Admin is here... How's it going?

 **DevilSurvivor** : This guy is the Killer!

 **NotAnonymousUser** : Don't be such a drama queen. We are having fun, aren't we? Besides... What's life without a little of excitement? Don't you think life is so boring? Going to work, obeying the authorities, living a meaningless life, work your ass off until the day you die only to gain worthless paper that gives you "Happiness". Animals don't need money to be happy, neither should we.

 **FanGirl1993** : What the hell is your problem!? Why are you doing this?"

 **NotAnonymousUser** : Because life is boring, besides... Why are you freaking out? Animals kill each other to survive... We are, in fact, animals. You think that because we are humans we are a higher being? Are you stupid? If something, we are a plague and we are better dead.

 **CoolAdminMishi** : The Phantom Thieves will steal your heart!

 **NotAnonymousUser** : Oh, really? You seem so sure about this, Admin... So be it... Let us start the game then...

* * *

 _ **7/2 Saturday**_

 **? POV**

I'm looking at the scene... It's beautiful. All these people murmuring about that girl's death. To be honest, it was pretty easy to take her down. She believes a lie and that was her mistake. Didn't her parents tell her to not trust in strangers? Then again, I'm a student, just like her... I was her senpai, she had no reason to doubt in me. She wanted me to help her to study, I did... And after that, I stab her in the back... literally. It was funny looking at her yelling on the floor and her eyes filled with fear, confusion, and anger... All those emotions mixed in one... That was something I love to see. Although, it was such a shame to get rid of her that quickly... I could've taken my time, instead of doing it quick only for making my debut here.

The Phantom Thieves of Hearts are now here. I saw all of them between the crowd. My eyes are now focused on my next target... She looks serious but interested. I can see it in her eyes. She wants to find me... Naoki is nowhere to be seen... Better, I could've killed him in his sleep just because he went to see the Phantom Thieves when I wasn't looking. That little piece of shit is going to die when I see him. They know about me... But I'm not trying to hide at all...

All the students walk to the gym because the Principal order them to. I look at Kagura walking away with the crowd, but when she saw me in the hallway, near the stairs to the higher floors I smile at her. She walks away from the crowd and walks toward me. As soon she gets near me I turn around and walk, with calm, to the other floor. I go to the third floor and wait for her near the bathroom when Kagura reach me I enter the bathroom and wait for her next to the bathroom sink. Our eyes meet and I couldn't help to smile at her. I couldn't contain my excitement.

"Misaki Hanazawa" She said. "Were you running away from me?"

"Not really... I just wanted you to follow me and it worked" I said hide my hands behind my back. With my right hand I take out a knife I was hiding in my left sleeve.

"What for?" She asks and looks at me from head to toes. She gets closer to me and that was my moment. I smile at her, showing her my teeth.

"I just wanted to meet the leader of the Phantom Thieves" I said and that took her by surprise, just like I wanted. "I just want to talk... But choose your words carefully..."

* * *

 **Makoto's POV**

Today it was going to rain. The clouds were already above us, ready to drop the rain upon us. I brought my umbrella with me and hope to not use it on my way back home. I don't really like rain. I almost run to the gates of the school, only to find a big group of students murmurs with each other while the Principal was talking with at least three police officers. He looked really worried, just like the rest of the teachers that were present. From the entrance, I saw a paramedic pushing a gurney... There was a body covered with a white sheet. Blood stain the sheet and I could see the hand of the person falling from the side of the gurney. I was speechless. The first thing I did, as soon the ambulance takes the body away, was to talk with the teachers. They all come back inside the school and tell the students to go to the gym, there was going to take place an emergency assembly. I enter the Faculty Office and find Ms. Kawakami. She was on the phone, talking with someone. I wait for her to finish and as soon she hung up, I speak up.

"What just happened?" I ask, desperate. Kawakami looks down and sigh.

"A teacher found the body of a student in your classroom, Niijima-san" She said and I gasp. Part of me wanted this to be just a joke, but after seeing what happened this morning it felt too real... "It was a second-year student... The police are now investigating the classroom and parts of the school... Do me a favor, just head to the gym, the Principal is about to give a speech and everyone has to be there. School is suspended until further notice"

"Seriously!?" I ask, surprised.

"Considering that someone kills a student, yes. Not only that, the police is going to interrogate all the teachers and janitors... Why something like this has to happen? I wish this was just a nightmare, who would do this to a student?" Kawakami walks away and my phone ringed. I look at it and the chat room open.

" _Is this for real!?_ " Ryuji write. " _You have to be shittin' me!_ "

" _Calm down, Ryuji_ " Ann write. " _We should gather in Shibuya after this_ "

" _Actually_ " Akira write. " _Me and Yusuke talked with Kagura yesterday and something disturbing come up. We'll go right at her house, there's something we need to discuss... And from the look of it, it might be connected to this_ "

" _Connected!?_ " Ryuji write. " _What is happening!?_ "

" _I'll explain it later. It's better if we talk about it later_ " Akira write. " _By the way... Did any of you saw Kagura?_ "

" _We separate in the station_ " Yusuke write. " _What is happening in your school? Students here are saying things like "Homicide". Is that true?_ "

" _So far, yeah_ " Ryuji write. " _But seriously, what is going on?_ "

" _..._ " Kagura write.

" _Kagura?_ " I write. " _Where are you?_ "

" _Kagura can't talk right now... leave a message after the Bip XD... I recommend you all to be careful though. I'm watching you all now :3_ " She writes and something didn't seem right... A chill was running through my spine.

" _The hell are you talking about, Kagura?_ " Ryuji write. " _This is no time to be jokin' around_ "

" _I'm not Kobayashi, Ryuji Sakamoto... Let's just say that she just had a..._ " _ **Accident**_ ". _I'll just my words carefully if I were you... Unlike her who just... Didn't seem cooperative enough... She had to go and talk without thinking... Poor girl_ "

" _The hell?_ " Ann write. " _Who are you?_ "

" _That's not the question you should be asking... If I were you, I should be asking where is Kagura Kobayashi, leader of the Phantom Thieves_ " As soon this person send the message I froze up in place. This person had Kagura's phone and knows who are we. " _I'll give you a hint... You ready?_ "

" _Stop playing, you asshole!_ " Ryuji write. " _Who the hell are you!?_ "

" _I'm your next target... Just like you all are my next target... I won't waste any more time now... Kobayashi is in the bathroom on the third floor... If I were you, I'll run... You don't want her to bleed out, don't you? BYE BYE_ "

"Bleed... Out...?" I said and it hit me pretty quick. I run as fast as I could to the third floor and search for Kagura in the bathrooms...

* * *

 **Misaki's POV**

I look at the conversation I had with the Phantom Thieves and I'll admit I was a little disappointed of them. They sound like a harmless and useless group, or maybe it was because of Ryuji Sakamoto, I don't really know. I take Kagura's phone and drop it to the floor, only to smash it with my shoes. I look at the bathroom behind me and check that I didn't have any blood in my uniform. I still had the winter uniform, but I didn't care, it's useful to hide knife and all sort of things. I walk down the stairs, without hurry, I was taking my precious time. On my way down the stairs, Makoto Niijima runs to the stairs and I make eye contact with her for a second before she keeps running to the higher floors. Shortly after, Ryuji Sakamoto, Ann Takamaki and Akira Kurusu run to the stairs, everyone ignores me and as soon they disappear from my sight I burst in laugh.

"This is going to be good... No... This is going to be glorious"

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

"Misaki Hanazawa" I said and look at the girl in front of me. The sister of Naoki Hanazawa, Misaki. She looked pretty normal to me actually. She didn't look like the kind of person that could kill a person, but something about her wasn't right, that smile she has on her face was unsettling. "Were you running away from me?" I ask and her eyes focus on mine.

"Not really... I just wanted you to follow me and it worked" She said, hiding her hands behind her back. Something was telling that she was up to something and if I wasn't careful I'll end up hurt or maybe worst... But... I doubt that someone like her could ever win in a fight with me. She looks fragile. She was way too skinny and shorter than me.

"What for?" I ask and looks at her from head to toes. I get closer to her and prepare for anything, I wanted to make sure that she didn't escape or do something stupid. If Naoki was telling the truth, then she's a murderer and she might be the one who kills that student. If that's the case, we need to change her heart... But I could just turn her to the police, that would be easier for everyone, but what if there's no evidence? What if she makes sure to not leave anything that will lead to her?. Misaki smiled at me, showing me her teeth. Her eyes were looking right at mine, her eyes told that she was enjoying this moment for some reason.

"I just wanted to meet the leader of the Phantom Thieves" She said, loud and clear and that took me by surprise. I froze right there... She knew... She fucking knew it... What now!? "I just want to talk... But choose your words carefully..." She said and take a step forward. She moves so quickly that I couldn't see the knife touching my throat. She was pressing the metal against my skin. I wanted to move away, but I knew she would stab me if I do, her eyes say it all. My life was literally in her hands now. I gulped and talk to her as calm as possible...

"What do you want?" I asked. "Why did you kill that student?" She smiles and takes the knife away from my throat.

"... Are you seriously expecting me to say that? I'm not the villain that reveal their plans to the protagonist, that's so stupid and cliche that makes me sick to only thinking about that..." Misaki plays with her knife a little before pointing at me again with it. "Besides... That only happens in the movies, anime and comics to make the character more relatable or give him some kind of background or a reason... Does the villain need a reason to snap and kill? I do have my reasons... But I'm not going to talk, there's no need to tell that to my new toy"

"... Toy?" I was confused by what she said. She then grabs my left hand and cut my wrist, so deep that I think she cut a tendon. I push her away from me as soon I feel the pain coming from my wrist, the deep, throbbing pain. The blood didn't wait to come out of the cut, like a waterfall, and I found myself on top of a little puddle of my own blood before I even knew what was happening. "Wh-What...?" I ask in confusion until I finally grasped the situation... Misaki cut my wrist and I was bleeding out. "What the fuck is your problem!?" I yell and didn't notice her fist hitting my face until a second before she actually hit me. I fall to the ground and Misaki kick me in the stomach several times before stepping on me. She was always smiling, but that smile got wider the more she hit me and hurt me. She was enjoying it, she enjoys hurting me... She said Toy... I think I understand what she meant by that. Misaki grab me by the shoulders and drag me against the wall, leaving a trail of my blood on the floor.

"Well... Take a look at that" She said, kneel in front of me and poke my forehead. "The leader of the Phantom Thieves is my new Ragdoll... I only need to get rid of Naoki and you'll take his place. How does it feel to be beaten by a girl smaller than you? Despite having the same age, I'm smaller than you and I beat the shit out of you... It must feel really frustrating... Such a useless girl you are" She said with a big smile on her face. A smile that makes me angry. I wanted to hit her in the face so hard, but my left wrist hurt and I was feeling weaker by the second. I couldn't stop the bleeding and it wasn't helping that she was stepping on me. How did this happen? How? I let my guard down for a moment and she cut my wrist and beat me up... This must be a joke. Misaki grabs my phone from my pocket and looks at it. "I'll keep your phone for a while... Also... I'm confident that you'll make it out alive. Sure, you are bleeding from your wrist and I did cut a tendon, but that wound will heal with time... I'll take this moment, now that you are still listening... If by any chance you think you can tell the police who the murderer is or what have I done... You are so wrong" Misaki searches something in my phone and show it to me. It was a picture of my mother. "Where did your mother work...? That weird bar in Shinjuku?" She asks and my eyes widen. My expression said it all. "If you open your mouth... Or any of the rest of the Phantom thieves does... Your mother is going to have a little " _Accident_ "..." Misaki got closer to me and whisper to my ears. "And by " _Accident_ " I mean that I'm going to kill her, but before that, I'll make sure to fuck her life in every way possible until she begs me to kill her-" I hit her in the face with my right hand before she could say something else. At this point, I couldn't feel my left arm and hand.

"Don't you... Fucking dare... If you touch her, I'm going to rip your eyes out" I threat her and all she did was smile again. She touches my cheek and grabs me by the throat.

"You know... I could've just stabbed you in the chest and get this over with, but where's the fun in that?" Misaki points the knife at my face. "But this is actually funny... You know my secret, I know your secret... Oh, and when I say secret... I don't mean about you being a Phantom Thief... That's not your biggest secret, Is it?" She stands up and kicks me again in the stomach. I yell at her and she hit me again, this time harder. "Be quiet, we don't want them to find us earlier... Still... I'll make a deal with you... Don't get in my way and I won't touch your mother... and open my mouth regarding to that horrible thing you did a couple of years ago" Misaki winked at me and I didn't say a thing, I just stare at her. "I still have a lot of things saved for you to make your life a living hell... In the meantime, I'll leave you here to bleed out. See you tomorrow... Classmate" Misaki takes her knife and cut me again, this time in the palm of my hand. She makes an "X" in my palm and the pain got worst. "That's to make sure you don't forget about me" She whispers and out of nowhere licked the blood coming from my wrist. I felt sick by only seeing her doing that. She was messed up. I was feeling dizzy, my vision was blurry and I could barely see or hear her clearly. She stands up and gets out of the bathroom. As soon she leaves, I passed out...


	34. The Upside Down Palace (Part 1)

**Sorry for the wait, I've been busy and I've been thinking a lot lately about the future chapters. Also, I have a confession to make... I write part of this chapter while I was working XD Luckily, nobody notices it.  
**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 33: The Upside Down Palace_**

 _Kagura looks down at her hands. She realized that she had her hands closed the whole time and it was the first time since she was in the interrogation room that she look at the scars on her left hand and wrist. She closes it again because every time she looks at it she can't stop thinking about that moment she almost dies at the hands of a psychotic girl._

 _"... Misaki almost kills you" Said Sae. "There are reports of the police about that same day. They found blood in the bathroom on the third floor, but it was a little amount, the rest was cleaned up. Now we know who's the owner of that blood" She looks at the files in the desks showing the pictures of the bathroom, there was blood on the floor but not that much._

 _"It wasn't enough to run a test?" Kagura asks._

 _"That's right... Still, what happens then?" Sae asks, curious._

 _"My teammates took me to the school infirmary. They didn't take me to a hospital because they didn't want to deal with the police. That's the last thing we needed" Kagura explain. "Of course, we "borrow" a lot of things of the infirmary... I was still unconscious at the moment and one of my teammates take care of my wounds while the rest keep an eye outside in case a teacher appears"_

 _"I have a question regarding Misaki Hanazawa. Shortly after that incident in Shujin Academy, another dead body appear. This time it wasn't a student, it was a grown man. On top of that..."_

 _"A police officer" Kagura finish Sae's sentence. "I hear it too. If you want to know how she did that, then you are actually asking the wrong person. I'm sure she already told the police everything they wanted to know"_

 _"Everything... Except for the Phantom Thieves identity. She claimed to know each member of the group, but she refuses to give any name and according to your story, it means she wasn't lying... Now the question would be "Why?" Why didn't she say your name? It's because you change her heart?"_

 _"... I did change her heart... But the reason she didn't turn us to the police after that is a mystery to me... She maybe thought it wasn't right to turn us to the police and instead decided to atone her crimes. Maybe she did it to protect her brother, I don't know"_

 _"So, Naoki Hanazawa became a member of the Phantom Thieves after you change Misaki's heart?"_

 _"..."_

 _"Answer me"_

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

I was in the school infirmary, looking at Kagura in one of the beds. She was unconscious, her left wrist and hand were bandaged by Makoto. Kagura was a little pale because she lost too much blood. I was worried about her, really worried. Seeing her in the bed like that makes me think about who are we dealing with. I wasn't the only one in the infirmary, next to the bed was Makoto. She was watching her in silence. Ann was next to the door, making sure that a teacher doesn't come in. Luckily for us they all are in the Gym while the principal is giving some kind of speech about the recent murder. Ryuji was in the bathroom, cleaning the floor and getting rid of the blood. The room was in complete silence after I explain the situation to Makoto and Ann, Makoto was trying to calm down, but she couldn't, she was about to explode. I could tell that she wants to find Misaki and punch her until she starts bleeding. Meanwhile, Ann was worried about the whole situation.

"... Wh-What are we going to do?" Ann ask me and I sigh.

"First we wait for Ryuji, then we search for Naoki, wait for Yusuke to come out of school and head to Misaki's Palace" I explain. "This is our best option"

"Why don't we simply turn her to the police?" Ann ask

"She knows who we are, Ann" Said Makoto. "Even if we tell the police who the murderer is, she will have an advantage over us because she can turn us to the police at any time. The police is looking for us too"

"... This whole situation is bullshit!" Ann yell and the door opened, it was Ryuji and he drags a boy with him. He pushes him against the floor and closes the door. The boy was Naoki Hanazawa, Misaki's brother. Ryuji grabs him by the collar and was about to hit him. I run to him and stop him.

"What are you going to do to him!?" I asks

"I'm going to beat the shit out of him!" Ryuji yells and turns to Naoki. "Your sister almost kill Kagura! How did she knew about us!? Did you told her!? You better give me a good reason to not beat the shit out of you!" Naoki cower in fear and crawl away from Ryuji.

"I-I-I-It's n-not my fa-fault!" Naoki stutter. "Sh-She must've been following me around! That's how she found out about you all!" Naoki stands up and yells at Ryuji. "Besides, It's not my fault! You yell about being a Phantom Thief!" The room fall in silence again the everyone looks at Ryuji, me included.

"... No, I didn't" Was all Ryuji said to defend himself and I step in.

"Remember when Makoto recorded you?" I said. "He has the same recording... He record you too" I explain and Ryuji looks down. He was no longer angry at Naoki, but at himself.

"... For real?"

"It doesn't really matter who has the fault now" Said Makoto. "What's done it's done. Now we need to deal with Misaki. All we have to do is to change her heart and that's it" Makoto turns to Naoki. "Hanazawa... Akira told us that you know about the Metaverse"

"Y-Yes... The app appears on my phone a couple of months ago and I enter to my sister's palace by accident... I'm sure Akira told you everything you need to know" Said Naoki.

"Yes, but I wanted to hear it from you... You know about the Metaverse, the app, what a Palace is, and you have a Persona" Said Makoto and Naoki look away.

"I'll... rather not talk about Dillinger" He said.

"Your Persona is named Dillinger?" I ask. "Like... John Dillinger?"

"Does that really matter?" Naoki was annoyed by that. Looks like he didn't want to talk about his Persona.

"Leaving his Persona aside, he can enter his sister's Palace so we can go as soon we reunite with Yusuke" Said Makoto. "Give me the keywords so we can-" Suddenly the door of the infirmary open and we all look at the door. There she was, Misaki was in front of them. "You!" Makoto yell and Misaki enter the room, closing the door behind her. She looks at all of us with a big smile, including her brother. When she looked at him, she couldn't help but to get angry.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all in person, although I already know you all" Said Misaki and take out a knife of her pocket. "I'm here to talk, but if any of you want to play hero, then you can come at me at any time... Be careful, though... I bite"

"Stop messing with us!" Ryuji yell. "What do you want with us!?"

"I'm here to offer you a deal" She smiles and put the knife in her pocket.

"A... Deal?" Ann asks. "What are you planning?"

"Not much actually. I'm interested in how the Phantom Thieves do what they do, I truly am. That's why I decided, just now, that I'll make a deal to see if you can change my heart" Misaki explain and take her knife again, she points it to Naoki's forehead. "I'll give you a week... If you can't change my heart, then I'll send a message to the police about the whereabouts of the Phantom Thieves... Oh, and I'll slice your throat while you sleep, Naoki. So no pressure"

"Is this a joke to you?" I ask her and she looks at me in the eyes.

"Life itself is a joke, Akira Kurusu. We live without purpose so we might as well die without purpose. Don't you stop one moment to think how everything that we do doesn't matter? In the end, we all end up dead" Misaki walk to the door and stop in front of it. "Oh, before I forget... Tell Kobayashi that her phone is in the trash now and that she needs a new one. That's all, Bye bye" She leaves the infirmary and we all sigh together.

"She's such a..." Ann was trying to find the right words that could describe Misaki.

"Psychopath?" Ryuji asks and Ann nodded. "What a nice mess we got ourselves into..." Ryuji looks at Kagura lying in the bed. "What are we going to do with her?"

"She lost a lot of blood so even if she wakes up now, she'll be weak. We need a car to take her home" Said Makoto.

"Why not a hospital?" Ann asks. "That would be the best idea now"

"It would... If not for the police outside the school, the teachers, and the students. People not only will start talking, but they'll ask questions like: "What happens to her?", "Who did it?" and more importantly... "Why we weren't with the rest of the student?" I actually want to avoid the police and the authorities as much as possible" Makoto explains and she was right. The police were outside and the teacher will start asking why we weren't in the gym. We can't tell them that Misaki did it, if she finds out she will tell the police about the Phantom Thieves. Like I saw this... She doesn't really care if she ends up in jail... Why? That's my question... Why is she doing this? What's her goal? It doesn't make any sense. It's like she's improvising.

"Makoto's right" I said. "... Still, there has to be a way to take her out of here and avoid the police" In that moment, Morgana jump out of my bag.

"That girl is crazy" He said and jump to the bed where Kagura was. He looks at her with sadness in his eyes. "... There's a way to take Kagura out of here and heal her wounds at the same time" We all look at him and wait for him to say the solution. "We'll take her to the Metaverse and heal her there"

"... Why I didn't think on that before?" Makoto whispers.

"... Please tell me I'm not the only one that's hearing the cat talking" Said Naoki and Morgana glare at him.

"We talked yesterday, you know?" He said and Naoki nodded.

"I know, but it's still freaking me out! Why can you talk!?" Naoki yell. "How is that even possible!? You are a CAT!"

"I'm NOT a cat!" Morgana yells at him.

"Here we go again" Said Ann.

"Forget about this! We'll explain it later. Now is not the time for this" Said Morgana and turn to me. "Akira, you and I are going to take Kagura to the Metaverse. Meanwhile, the rest should go with the rest of the students. We'll reunite with you all in 15 minutes"

"Are you taking her to Mementos?" Makoto asks and Morgana nodded.

"Yes, Mementos is only distorted in the subways, the rest of the world around it it's normal and there are no Shadows" Morgana explains. "We'll be safe while we heal her. Don't worry, Makoto. We'll take care of her. You need to go back"

"The Principal will, most likely, send everyone home. Shujin Academy will be closed for at least a couple of days" Said Makoto. "We'll be going now... You'll most likely miss the Principal speech so it'll be better for you to wait for us in the rooftop" Said Makoto to me. I nodded and everyone in the room leave, including Naoki. Only me, Morgana and Kagura remain in the room. Morgana sits next to Kagura and touches her in the cheek with his paw.

"... Kagura" He said. "I wish I could've done something..."

"She's not dead yet. Let's help her" I said and take out my phone and start the app. "Let's go"

"Yeah" I grab Kagura's hand and press the screen of my smartphone. In the blink of an eye, we were in the Metaverse...

* * *

 **Morgana's POV**

I didn't want to believe my eyes when I saw her in that bathroom. I wanted to speak up earlier in the infirmary, but the words didn't come out of my mouth. I was still thinking on Kagura lying on the ground of the bathroom and the blood coming out of her wrist like a river. I was in shock and of course, I wasn't the only one. But I think I was the one who got hit the more. To see the person that saves me in Mementos, to see the most powerful Persona User I've known, lying powerless in the ground, wounded, defeated... My eyes wanted to deny the reality in front of them. Now I was in the Metaverse with Akira, we are about to close her wounds.

"I think that with Zorro is enough" I said to Akira. "But just in case, do you have a Persona with healing abilities?"

"I have some, yes" Akira respond. "But did you notice that I can't summon my Persona?" Akira asks me and I look at him. Just now I notice that he was still in his uniform. I completely forgot that he can't use his Persona outside the subway because he's not considered a threat, therefore, he can't use his power.

"Oh... I completely forgot. Sorry. I think that with me will be enough" I said and summoned Zorro. I use my Diarama skill on Kagura's left arm and it heals in a couple of minutes. We take the bandage and saw the scar on her wrist and hand, she wasn't bleeding anymore, but she will have those scars for the rest of her life. If my power was stronger, then I could've dealt with the scar too...

"Hnng..." To our surprise, Kagura blinked and start to get up. She sits on the bed and touches her head with her left hand. She looks at us and then at her surroundings. Her eyes move slowly to her left arm and they widen. "Oh... It happened" She said with a tired expression, followed by a sigh. "That bitch... I'm going rip her heart out" She whispered at the end.

"Kagura, how are you feeling?" Akira asks her and she gives us a weak smile.

"Tired, really tired... And my left arm is sore" Kagura said while touching her arm. She looks at the scar on her wrist and she looked... Sad. I thought she was going to be angry at this, but she was more sad than angry. "I can't believe that I almost die... Misaki is insane" She said and hit the bed with her fist. "Goddamit! She toyed with me and...!" Kagura closes her eyes and fall to the ground. Akira and I catch her before she hit the ground. We place her on the bed again.

"Kagura, can you hear me?" I ask and Kagura blink multiple times before looking at me.

"Dammit... Why I'm feeling so weak?" She asks and Akira responds.

"You lost too much blood" He said. "It was expected to happen. We'll wait for a moment until you feel good enough to walk. We'll take you home and discuss our next move"

"... There's nothing to discuss at this point" She said with a weak voice. "I want to go to her Palace and beat the shit out of her... I'll make her repent for what she did" Kagura was breathing heavily. I look at her hands, they were trembling and that took me by surprise. She looked angry but looks like that wasn't the case. She was acting tough, but in reality, she was scared. Kagura was scared? I never saw her scared before and that worries me.

"Kagura?" I sit next to her and I touch her hands. Kagura stops shaking. "Are you... scared of Misaki?" I ask and her eyes widen. She looks away.

"No" She answers quickly, but after a long silence, she looks back at me. "She... I can't believe what I'm about to say but... Yes, She scared me... I was scared of her. That's what you want me to say? That bitch toyed with me and I felt powerless for the third time in my life! I don't want to feel that way never again!" Kagura admits her fear toward Misaki in the only way she knows how... yelling. I wasn't expecting her to say that, though.

"Calm down, Kagura" I said, but she yells at me.

"Don't tell me to calm down! I... Ugh" Kagura grab her head. "My head... It hurt"

"Kagura, we need to go. The earlier the better" Said Akira and I agree with him, but Kagura wasn't feeling okay. In fact, she looked like she was to fall apart in every moment. She was pale and her head hurt. From the looks of it, she will collapse at any moment. "Can you stand?" Akira asks and Kagura shakes her head a little. She gets up from the bed without any difficulty, except when she takes the first step, she almost falls to the ground, but Akria catch her in time. "Be careful"

"... Thanks" Said Kagura and she stands on her own now. Akira takes his bag and take out a black wristband and give it to her. Kagura raises her hand, slowly, and take it. "A wristband...?"

"Ryuji give it to me last week when we were training. I think it will help to hide that... scar" Akira point at Kagura's wrist. Kagura looks at the wristband before putting it on. The wristband hides the scar pretty well, but she still has the other scar in the palm of her hand.

"Thanks... What exactly happens? Why we are in the Metaverse?" Kagura asks.

"We took you here to heal you, that way we could avoid taking you to the hospital and the police and teachers asking questions" Akira explains. "Morgana was the one that heals you"

"He... did...?" Kagura turns to look at me and, out of nowhere, smile at me. It wasn't a smile I saw her do before, it was a kind smile. She touches her wrist. "Thanks... And... I'm sorry to worry you all... and yelling"

"Her mood change so quickly" I thought.

"Don't be sorry. We are in this together. We need to stick together. And don't worry... There's nothing to fear" Akira touch her shoulders and look at her in the eyes with a smile. "As long we are all together we'll come on top"

"... I know. I don't want to be afraid, but... She makes me feel fear again... A kind of fear I didn't want to feel again" Kagura look down. "I just want to... end this and forget about her"

"We will steal her heart"

* * *

 **Yusuke's POV**

I receive a message in the group. They told me to go to Kagura's house as soon as possible so as soon school ended I make my way to Kagura's house as fast as I could. The message from before not only makes me nervous, but something told that Kagura was in danger and all I wanted at that moment is to go to Shujin and help, but I couldn't. I reach the apartment faster than I was expecting, open the door and found all the Phantom Thieves sitting on the table. They all look at me as I close the door. Akira, Ryuji, Ann, Makoto, and Morgana were there, including Naoki Hanazawa, but Kagura was nowhere to be found.

"Where's Kagura?" I ask with a worried tone in my voice.

"In her room, sleeping" Said Ann. "Sit down, we'll explain to you what happen" I do as she told me and sit down. In a minute everything was explained to me. Misaki Hanazawa attacks Kagura and makes her bleed to the point that she almost die if Makoto and the others weren't fast enough to reach her. It felt so unrealistic to hear that, to think that someone close to me was about to die today and I wasn't even aware of it. Everyone keeps talking, but I couldn't hear them, or more likely, I choose not to hear. My mind focus on our leader, lying in the bed of her room. I was worried, I wanted to see her, but I didn't want to invade her room and bother her while she recovers. A lot of thoughts run through my head, including the thought of what to do to Misaki. I was angry at her... No, angry doesn't really describe it. This feeling was more like rage, the same feeling I had when I hear Madarame confessing what he did to my mother.

"Yusuke?" Morgana's voice takes me out of my train of thought. "Are you paying attention?"

"Y-Yes, I was just... Thinking about something" I said.

"Then you weren't paying attention" Said Ryuji. "We were talking about if we should go to the Palace today without Kagura"

"I think is a good idea. We should leave her rest, but I suggest one of us stay behind and take care of her. I don't like to leave her alone after what happened to her" I said and they all agree with me.

"Well, we are a big group so we can handle the situation without two members of the group" Said Makoto and she looks at Naoki who was looking at the ceiling. He notices her.

"... Why are you looking at me like that?" Naoki asks.

"You are coming with us and help us to stop your sister" Said Makoto. "You mentioned that you have a Persona, right?"

"I do, but..." Naoki looks down like a kid that got himself in troubles.

"But what?" Ann asks.

"Dillinger is... useless. Like myself. I barely make it out alive last time" Said Naoki. I could tell that he is the kind of person that has low self-esteem. I must say that It's not that surprising if he's been living with that girl all this time.

"Maybe you don't know how to use him properly," Said Ryuji. "We'll help you with that. Meanwhile, who's staying behind with Kagura?" We all look each other and without thinking about it I raise my hand.

"I'll stay" I said and Makoto nodded.

"I was about to suggest you to stay too. Mainly because you live here and if Kagura's mother comes back, you can come up with something" Said Makoto.

"If by any chances, she comes back, I'll say that Kagura is not feeling well. I'll make sure she's okay in the meantime" I said and Makoto smile at me.

"I leave that to you. Alright, are we going?" Makoto asks and everyone nodded. "Naoki, where's her Palace?"

"... My house. I'll take you there. Follow me" Naoki stand up and everyone follows him outside. They leave the apartment and I was left alone in the living room. I turn to the little hallway of the apartment, I stare at the door leading to Kagura's room. My hand, and my body move on their own. I open the door instead of knocking and saw Kagura lying in the bed, she was sleeping. I enter her room as quietly as possible, I didn't want wake her up. My eyes focus on her face and they move right to her left arm. She was using a black wristband that covers the cut, but she still had another scar in the palm of her hand forming an "X". Out of impulse I grab her hand and touch the scar, it reminds me of the time I accidentally fall on top of her and touch the scar in her womb... How did it happen? Did someone attack her? I really want to know, but a part of me is telling me that is better to not know. Kagura moves a little and I let go of her hand. She wasn't wake up yet and I don't want her to wake up. She needs to rest now. I should make some tea for me and for her if she wakes up. Before I leave her room, I caress her forehead and I thought I saw her smile for a moment, but it was my imagination.

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

We arrive at Naoki's house. It wasn't too far away from Yongen-Jaya. The first thing that comes to mind when I saw the house was... Normal. Completely normal. It was a two-floor house and it looked like the rest of the house. Nothing stands out. I even dare to say that the house looked a little dull.

"To think that a serial killer would live in a house like this" I said.

"Looks can be deceiving" Said Ryuji. "Anyway, we are here. Now let's do this!" Ryuji takes out his phone and open the app. "Naoki, what are the words?"

"Before we enter, I should warn you about something" Said Naoki and he looked really nervous about going to the Palace. His hands were sweating.

"What is it?" Makoto asks and Naoki looks at the house.

"... It's disturbing. No matter what... Don't look at "them" in the eyes"

"Them? Who are them?" I ask and Naoki shakes his head.

"The Statues. No matter what, don't stare at them"

"Statues?" Ann asks. "Why?"

"Just... Do as I say. Don't look at them, please" Naoki's warning make us feel uneasy. What kind of danger await for us in Misaki's Palace? There's no use to think about that now. We have to hurry and end this.

"We'll do as you say. Now, what are the words?" I ask and Naoki seemed reluctant for a moment. He sighs and speaks up.

"Misaki Hanazawa... House... Dungeon" He said and the app finds the match.

"Dungeon...?" Makoto asks. "Why a Dungeon?"

"..." Naoki didn't answer that.

"That doesn't really matter now, isn't?" Said Ryuji. "Let go!" The Metaverse navigator takes in the blink of an eye to the Metaverse. The scenery before us change completely, the world itself changes. The houses, the streets, the buildings, they all disappear and were replaced by an abandoned playground. In front of us, we saw a giant door made of wood. It was wide open and inside we could see Misaki's house turned into a castle that was twisting itself... It was like the castle was alive and was trying to get up from the floor and run away, but in a failed attempt it twists itself. We walk toward the castle and saw it moving violently as we set foot in the entrance.

"... This is on another level" Said Morgana. "The Palace itself is moving like it's alive and the distortion spread so far away that I would dare to say that covers the area of Tokyo"

"This is so weird" Say Ryuji and he looks at Naoki. "Woah! Dude, your clothes!" He points at Naoki and we all look at him. Just like us, he changes into an outfit. He was wearing a black overcoat, black shirt with a red tie around his neck, black pants and black shoes. All his clothes were black, except for the gloves he was wearing, they were gray. His mask was white and was the skull of a goat with black horns so long that the twist on itself. We all stare at his outfit, I stare mostly because I thought it was really cool, but also really creepy. His mask was an actual skull, unlike Ryuji's that was made of metal.

"... What?" Naoki asks while looking at us. He looks down at his outfit. "Oh, right... I forgot about that. Come on, say it. It's awful, isn't it?"

"Awful? Dude, it's cool!" Said Ryuji excited. "It's creepy, sure, but it's cool"

"Creepy doesn't even describe it" Said Makoto. "But I have to admit that the clothes give it a nice touch"

"... Thanks?" Naoki looks at the castle. "What now? How does this work?"

"Oh, right. You don't know how to change heart" Said Ann.

"I enter this Palace once and I don't have any experience on this, so you better explain now and..." Naoki stop talking and stare at the entrance of the castle. "Misaki..." He said and we all look at the entrance. There she was, Misaki's Shadow. She was wearing a black and white dress and a crown on top of her head, a crown made of animal's bones. Mostly bones from rats, cats, and dogs. She stares at us with her big yellow eyes and smile.

" **... Welcome, Phantom Thieves** " She said and we all prepare for anything. " **Welcome to my world... I was waiting for you all... I want to play a game** " Misaki snap her fingers and Shadows came out of the ground like zombies. " **Please, don't mind my toys or my castle twisting itself in the background... What do you say if we talk a little before you do something you might regret?** " She said and I could see the long sword she was hiding under her long skirt.

"Don't mess with us!" Ryuji yell. "You are going down, right here, right now! We'll take your treasure and change your heart!"

" **Impulsive as always, Sakamoto,** " She said and her smile got wider. " **That mask is useless. I recognize you all, even with it... Even you...** " Misaki disappears and reappears in front of Naoki. He jumps backward as soon she appears in front of him. " **Brother... Now I wonder... What will be the best punishment? Should I cut your throat, cut your fingers or... Should I stab you in the chest and rip off your heart?** " Misaki touch Naoki's chest. " **Oh... I can feel it... It's beating so fast that you could have a heart attack** "

"What do you want?" Makoto asks and Misaki looks at her. "What is your objective? Why are you doing this?"

" **Why?** " Misaki asks and answers happily. " **Simple... Because I can... What about you? Why are you a Phantom Thief? Because you believe that you are doing the right thing... Let me break it to you... Changing peoples mind, forcing them to confess their crimes, changing their cognition... You aren't stealing hearts... You are stealing their free will** " Misaki smile while she talks. We all remain quiet. " **Oh, I'm not wrong? So at one point, you all were questioning your own methods? Hahahahahaha, That's funny** "

"Shut the hell up! We don't need to hear that from a murderer like you!" Ann yell.

" **Alright then...** " Misaki snaps her finger and the Shadows surround us. " **Let's play a game... If you can't reach my Treasure today, then there will be another victim tomorrow morning... Good Luck, Thieves** " She snaps her fingers again and disappears. The Shadows run toward us and we prepare for battle.

"Everyone, prepare yourself!" I said and summon my Persona. "Arsene!"


	35. The Upside Down Palace (Part 2)

**Here it is! New chapter for all of you. Now, there are some things I need to say. First of all... Job is killing me :D (No surprise there, I just want to let you know that this was updated while I was working. Yeah, my job is that boring sometimes)**

 **Second: There's another Fanfiction that I'll write and that I'm sure you'll love it too called "Persona High School". To be honest, I write it because it just came while I was watching Friends. I'll update that one on the weekend.**

 **Third and the most important of all... You need to hear "Persona 5 OST - Will Power" at a certain part and you will know when that will be so I leave it to you to decide.**

 **That's all, Enjoy it!**

* * *

 **Chapter 34: The Upside Down Palace (Part 2)**

 **Naoki's POV**

We were surrounded... I was with the Phantom Thieves, surrounded by monsters known as Shadows. The Shadows were following orders from my Sister's Shadow. To be honest, all this seems like a really bad nightmare, one that I want to wake up. I don't want to be here in the first place, all I wanted is to live peacefully, but Misaki didn't let me... She went crazy and now it all comes to this, me helping the Phantom Thieves to change her heart. To think that this world is the only way to do that. All this didn't look real, but it felt too real to be a dream. The oppressive atmosphere, the smell of blood and death in the air, it was hard to ignore. The Shadows looked like actual zombies, but when they jump at us to attack they change into monsters. All of them were different in every way. Akira Kurusu place himself in front of the group and take his mask off, summoning his Persona "Arsene". A demon-looking Persona. Akira point at the Shadows in front of him and Arsene place his hand on the floor while spreading his wings. Darkness erupts from the ground and kills the Shadows in the front. Ryuji Sakamoto summons his Persona "Captain Kidd", a pirate, and kill the Shadows from behind. Makoto Niijima summons her Persona "Johanna", a motorcycle, and kill the Shadow from the sides. In the blink of an eye, all the enemies surrounding us had been destroyed without problems.

"... Woah..." That's all I could say.

"They weren't that tough" Said Ryuji.

"Tell me about it" Said Akira.

"We should get going now" I heard the cat talking, but when I look down I notice that it didn't look like the cat from before. He takes a more cartoonish form and I couldn't help but stare at him. He was a little cute. "Why are you staring at me?" The cat asks me.

"I-I'm surprised, that's all" I said. "You didn't tell me your name by the way"

"My name's Morgana. But in the Metaverse we use Codenames, so call me Mona when we are here" Morgana explain.

"Why do you use codenames?" I ask the obvious question I really need answers to.

"What happened in the Palace is unknown to the person in the real world, but it might've and unknown effect if we say our name. The Shadow might take action and subconsciously warn the person in the real world" Makoto explain. "Did you understand?"

"Yeah... It wasn't that complicated. I thought it would be harder to understand. But you and Dillinger make it easier to follow"

"So, your Persona told you about the Metaverse and what it is?" Ann asks and I nodded.

"Not all of it, only the principal concept. As for the app in my phone... He knows nothing about it" I explain. "Does any of you know who made this and why it appears on my phone?"

"No, we have the same questions actually" Said Ryuji.

"Let's get going. We should move quickly or the Shadows might surround us again" Said Akira and we enter the castle.

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

I open my eyes and found myself looking at the ceiling of my room. The memories are still fresh in my mind, what happened in the bathroom of Shujin Academy, Akira, and Morgana taking my to the Metaverse to heal me, arriving home and falling into my bed from exhaustion. I get up from the bed and felt better, I wasn't tired anymore which surprises me, I wasn't expecting to feel better. I look at the window and the sun was outside, I look at the clock on my desk, it was 4 o'clock. I stand up and get out of my room, I walk to the living room and found Yusuke sitting around the table drinking tea. He looks at me and gets up from the chair.

"Kagura" He said and walk toward me to give me a hug. I didn't stop him, I actually return him the hug. He was obviously worried about me. "How are you feeling? Do you need something? I did tea if you want" He bombard me with questions and I stop him.

"No, it's fine" I said with calm. "Did the others told you what happen?" I really wanted to know what they told him and if they were already in the Palace.

"Yes, they told me. Now they are in the Palace searching for the treasure"

"Good... Will they be alright though?" I ask and Yusuke didn't know what to say. He simply says what anyone would say in this kind of situation.

"They'll be fine. For the moment, you should rest" Yusuke look down at my left hand, the black wristband was hiding the scar. "... Are you going to hide that from your mother?" That question catches me off guard. I completely forgot about my mother.

"Well... The obvious answer would be yes... But she'll find out eventually. I can hide the scar in my wrist, but I can't hide this" I open my hand and show him the "X" in my hand. "She'll see it so I'll come up with a lie. It's not too hard to lie. I want to avoid telling her something unnecessary"

"Good... Still, do you want something? I can make you tea or even coffee" Yusuke insist and I shrug.

"Alright... Do whatever you want" I sit down in the chair and Yusuke hurry to the kitchen to bring me tea. Shortly after that, we both found ourselves drinking tea in silence. Sitting right in front of each other. Yusuke couldn't take his eyes off me and I couldn't take my eyes off my reflection on the tea. I was thinking about what happens today and how it might affect us. First of all, I've never faced someone like her. Someone that could take action so fast and so unpredictable, it makes me wonder what her Palace is like and how hard it could get... Also, what she told me before she left... She knows, just like Kamoshida. How did she know that? Is she messing with me? Is she pretending to now? but what if she actually knows, if she opens her mouth then... What they'll think of me? They'll think I'm nothing more than a-

"Kagura?" Yusuke talks to me and I look up. As soon as I look at him my train of thought stopped and was replaced by worry. "What are you think?"

"N-Nothing... I'm just a little worried about the others" I lied. "I want to go to the Palace and help them"

"If you are feeling better tomorrow we'll take you there. Still, there's nothing to worry about. I'm sure they are doing alright"

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

We open the door of the castle and found ourselves with the most bizarre and incredible sight we have ever seen. From the outside, it looked like a castle, but from the inside is actually a dungeon with two hallways on our sides and in front of us we saw a red void with hallways, rooms, and objects floating in the air. We were on the entrance and we were already surrounded by a strong distortion. So strong that I would dare to say that it makes my head and eyes hurt. The floor was made of black stone, just like the walls and there were torches lighting the hallways. We all turn to Naoki.

"... What?" He asks.

"Are you seriously asking that?" Ann ask. "This place is screwed up!"

"W-What? Don't tell me you are blaming me for this? Misaki is the crazy one here!"

"This place is Upside Down, man!" Said Ryuji. "Where do we go now? I don't see a frickin' map! We need to know where are we going to reach the treasure!"

"C-C-Calm down" Said Naoki and point at the hallway on our left. "The last time I come I walk over there. That's where the statues are... So I recommend going to the opposite way"

"Those Statues... Are they Shadows?" Morgana asks. "You know, those monsters wearing masks" Naoki look at Morgana and sigh.

"No, they don't have any mask on. I don't know what they are, but they are scary" Said Naoki. "The last time it was also my first time here. Most of the time I walk aimlessly through the hallways until I found an exit"

"Hey, how it actually happen?" Ann asks Naoki. "I mean... How did you awaken your Persona?"

"... I'll... rather not talk about that" Naoki look down. "It hurt a lot and to be honest, Dillinger didn't make it easier. He keeps yelling at me until I finally accept him. He reminds me of a bully of some kind. I'll tell you when we get out of here. Now we should keep going

"Alright then... So we are going to the right?" Ryuji ask

"Yes" Naoki point at the hallways on the right. "Be careful where you step... Seriously" We follow Naoki's advice and watch our steps. The hallway at the right leads us to a huge room that looked like a torture chamber with blood covering the walls and skeletons laying on the ground. We look at the room both surprised and terrified. We could hear a voice from far away, outside the room. It was Misaki.

" **Are they hiding?** " She asks. " **Are they playing Hide and Seek? Or... Are they waiting for me to kill them...?** " Misaki chuckle. " **This is going to be so fun... I can't wait for them to fail. I can't wait for them to die here and go missing in the other world. No one will ever know what happened to them, but I'll know... Me and my other version will know... I can't wait to see the outcome of this!** "

"She really wants us dead, huh?" Makoto asks. "We need to find a map, if we don't know where are we heading then we'll get lost. Naoki, any idea?"

"Not really... I'm her twin brother, not her brain. I don't know what she's thinking most of the time. If I were to know what is she thinking then... Hm?" Naoki stares at the wall. There was an old picture of a woman, her face was torn apart. Naoki walks toward the picture and touches it. "I remember this picture..." He turns to look at us and then at the floor. We all look down too. The floor in this room was made of wood, I didn't notice it at first.

"What is it?" Ann asks.

"... My sister sees this dungeon as the house we live, right?" Naoki asks and Morgana answers his question.

"That should be the case, why?"

"If that's true, then... We are in the kitchen" Naoki said and point at the picture. "That's my mother's picture. Shortly after she and Dad passed away, Misaki tore it apart and left it in the kitchen" He then points at the torture devices and the skeletons. "Those things might be the cookware and the skeleton the trash or what was left of the food... I think... But if that's correct, then that means we might don't need a map at all. I can guide you"

"For real?" Ryuji smile.

"If the rest of the Palace resembles the house in some way or another then at least we can know where are we going... If it resembles my house then that treasure should be in..." In that moment a group of Shadows (Six of them) surrounded us. The looked like zombies wearing red masks and black medieval armor. The Take us by surprise and attack without warning. Naoki was outside of the group and the Shadows ignore him. "Guys!" He yells.

"Don't worry, we got this!" Said Ryuji and summon Captain Kidd and use electricity on them. The Shadows were completely immune to them and knocked down Ryuji without any difficulty.

"Skull!" Ann yell. More Shadow run through the hallway and reach the room. I summon Jack Frost and use Mabufu on them, they were also immune to it.

"The hell?" I said. "Panther, Queen, Mona, find the Shadow's weakness. Naoki get out of there!" I yell, but Naoki didn't move. He was looking at the Shadows ignoring him. Why were they ignoring him like that? They were treating him like he was no worth of attack at all. Ann, Makoto and Morgana attack at the Shadows, but all of them were immune to magic attack and even physical attacks. We were surrounded now. The room filled with Shadows, so much that it looked like we were on a stage and the Shadows were the public. One by one, the Shadows exploit our weakness, I was the last one standing thanks to my Wild Card ability, but I won't last that long. I look at Naoki, he was at the other side of the room, watching, frozen in place.

"Dammit!" Ryuji yell. "What are we going to do now!? All these Shadows are immune to any attack we throw at them Why!?"

" **Because I want them to be** " Misaki magically appear between us and Naoki. She smiles at us and takes out a sword from under her skirt. " **It wasn't hard to find you. If you spend more than a minute in one room I'll find you. You know why?** " Misaki asks and she really wants us to answer. She waits for us to answer her question and I was the one that answers.

"Because you are the ruler of the Palace" I said.

" **That's not the only reason... Because this Palace is my Playground, my dollhouse... My own world where I'm in absolute control over everything!** " Misaki snaps her fingers and the walls of the room disintegrated. We saw the red void surrounding us and all the rooms floating in the infinite void fly toward us and attach themselves to the room. " **This Palace is in my control. I can change the rooms whenever the hell I want. That's why you'll never find the Treasure, you'll never succeed, even if by a miracle you defeat my Shadows. You'll die here and I'll throw your bodies to the monster that rule over the core of the Metaverse!** "

"Shut the hell up!" Ryuji yells at her. "We are not dying here. We'll defeat your puppets and steal that rotten heart of yours!"

" **You are too loud for my liking. Maybe I should just kill one of you just for dramatic effect** " Misaki raise her sword and we saw Naoki running toward her. The Shadows turn to him and grab him by the arms and push his head against the ground. " **Useless like always little brother,** " She said and turn to look at Naoki right in the eyes. Her glowing yellow eyes stare at his clear brown eyes. " **That outfit doesn't suit you. It'll be better if you simply wear an inmate clothes. Because you are my prisoner and I will never let you escape from me. I'll give you a choice. Go back to your room and stay there for the rest of your life as my ragdoll or... Rebel against me. If you choose the last one, then I'll kill you here and now** "

"Ugh... I'm..." Naoki wanted to talk, but he was lacking the courage. I could see it, everyone could see it. Naoki was afraid of his own sister. I stand up and do what I did with Ryuji before... Give him the courage to stand up. He might've awakened his Persona, but he was still lacking the courage to stand against the evil.

" _Dillinger is... useless. Like myself_ " Those words echoed in my head. That was the problem. Naoki awakens his power, but he was afraid to use it, to let it out, to stand for himself and take action. He was afraid to fully accept the reality in front of him. It looks alien to him and I don't blame him, but now it wasn't the time to be afraid, now it was the time to stand up and fight.

"Naoki!" I yell and both Naoki and Misaki look at me. "You are afraid, I know that. You are afraid to rebel, but there's nothing to be afraid of! It's nothing wrong, it's true that it's a tough path, but as long you do what you want, as long you break the chains of oppression there's nothing to be afraid of. You shouldn't be afraid of your sister, you are both equal and if she can't see that then she just like the rest of those rotten adults we change their hearts!" I point at Misaki and for the first time, I saw her angry. She stares at me.

" **... THE... FUCK... ARE YOU... DOING!?** " She yells at me. " **DON'T GET IN MY WAY. THIS IS BETWEEN** **MY TWIN BROTHER AND I. I WILL RIP YOUR EYES AND TONGUE OUT IF YOU DON'T SHUT UP! EVERY SINGLE OF YOU SHOULD JUST SIT BACK AND SHUT THE FUCK UP! HE'S MINE, HE HAS NO RIGHTS! YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT EQUALITY!? DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH! THAT'S BULLSHIT! SOMETHING LIKE THAT DON'T EXIST IN THIS WORLD, I AM THE ABSOLUTE RULER HERE, PERFECT IN EVERY WAY!** "

"Ohhh, what's the matter psycho girl? Did we touch a never?" Ryuji stands up. "You don't like that we get between you and your little brother? Too bad, we're not lettin' you rule over his life or ours. We'll beat you and steal your treasure!"

"If you think you are perfect, then you are more distorted than we thought you might be" Said Morgana.

"You should treat your family like that, it's just wrong," Said Ann.

"Sibling rivalry is normal, but this isn't. You are proclaiming your ownership over a human being that has the same human right as you... No, you at this point you don't deserve to have human rights if you treat people like tools and has no problem with killing because you feel like it!" Makoto yell.

" **You think that your words wound me... That's stupidity taken to the next level! I'll kill you know before you turn into a pain in the ass!** " Misaki yell and Naoki free himself from the Shadows and grab Misaki's left hand, the hand where she had the sword. He looks at her right in the eyes. " **What the fuck are you doing, Naoki!?** "

"I'm not... I'm not..."

" **Hmm...?** "

"I'm not your slave anymore, Misaki!" Naoki yell and an unknown force throw her against the wall. Misaki hit her head against the wall and the whole room, I even would dare to say that the whole Palace, shake. We all saw Naoki grabbing his mask and we all hear a voice.

" _ **Are you finally accepting the reality as it is? You are going to completely accept me for what I am? Are you standing up for yourself?**_ " The voice that was coming from Naoki said. He raises his head and we saw his eyes turning yellow. " _ **Are you going to steal back your future!?**_ "

"Yes! I will do it! I'm tired of this. I want this suffering to end. I will get back my future, my freedom... I will bring back my sister from her own spiral of madness that she created! So lend me your power, all of it!" Naoki yell.

" _ **Very well! Call upon my name, Boy!**_ " The voice yell and Naoki grab his mask with both hands and rip it out with all his strength.

" _Give them hell..._ _Dillinger!_ " He yells and a giant blue flame appear behind Naoki. From the flame, we saw the silhouette of a really slender man. From the flames, two gun barrels came out and shoot at Misaki. She raises her hands and the bullets heading to her head disintegrate. The Persona came out of the flames. It was a really slender man wearing a black suit, a dark red scarf was around his neck and move like it had life on its own, a really long white cape was coming out of his shoulders and his whole head was covered in white bandages stained with blood. The bandages weren't covering his mouth, showing a creepy smile full of sharp teeth resembling the ones of a great white shark. Dillinger had two really old rusty pistols in his hands.

Dillinger shoots at the Shadows surrounding us and inflicts fear on them, not to mention that they all were knocked down. He then proceeds to shoot multiple bullets to the ceiling, breaking it apart and a rain of bullets fall over every single Shadow. None of the bullets hit us or Naoki at all. The Shadows disappears and Misaki saw in anger how her minions were killed that easily. Naoki turns to Misaki and a scythe appears in his hand. Shadow came out of the wall and jump at him, Naoki swings his scythe and behead them without effort. The Shadows that were beheaded turn into Genbus and Naoki order Dillinger to attack them.

"Dillinger, Megidola!" Dillinger shot at them and kill them without blinking. Dillinger disappears and Naoki falls to his knees. We run toward him and check on him. "I'm okay," He said. "Just tired" Naoki look at her sister's Shadow. "It's your turn now, Misaki" He said and Misaki's anger turns into a smile. "Why are you smiling?"

" **... You are strong, Naoki. I like that... But only one of us will win... And that will be me** " Misaki walk slowly to the exit and snap her finger. " **In the meantime...** " The whole room shakes and broke apart, separating us all. The room breaks into pieces and we end up in different rooms, separate from each other. " **Let's see if you all can find the way back... Good Luck, Phantom Thieves...** "

* * *

 _Misaki was staring at the picture of her mother in the kitchen, her face was torn apart. She looks at it with a little of melancholy in her face. She touches the picture and out of nowhere, she felt a sudden pain coming from her head. She grabs her head and fall to her knees while closing her eyes, the pain got intense by the second until it suddenly stopped. She stands up while her leg shake. She stares at the picture of her mother and smiles at it. The reflection of the glass showed her eyes turning yellow._

 _"Are they... Trying to steal it already?" She asks. "Is that so...? Then I should do something about it... I won't go down... without a fight"_

* * *

 ** _When I was thinking about Dillinger I thought of him as a Persona with Darkness abilities and Almighty (Megido skills), as for his Arcana I'll leave that in the dark for a couple of chapters more. You can guess if you want, I won't give you the answer though. Anyway, what do you think?_**


	36. The Upside Down Palace (Part 3)

**Sorry for the wait, I took a break to focus on something else. Now I'm back!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 35: The Upside Down Palace (Part 3)**_

 **Naoki's POV**

I found myself falling in the red void and landing in a solid ground shortly after. The walls close themselves around me, creating a room without windows, but only a door. I rapidly stand up and look at my surroundings. The room turns itself into a little cell, the only exit was a metallic door. Without thinking it twice I run to the door and hit it. It didn't open, it didn't even move at all. I keep punching the door, but nothing happens.

"Goddammit!" I yell. "Kurusu! Sakamoto! Anyone!?"

"Naoki!?" I hear someone's voice from the other side. It was Akira. "Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me! Can you get me out of here?" I ask and Akira remains silent. "Are you still there?"

"Get back from the door" He said and I do as he says. I hear three shoots and chains falling to the floor. Akira opens the door and I get out. The door was chained. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, thanks" I look around and found myself in a very familiar hallway. It was the exact same hallway that leads to my room and Misaki's in the real world... But considering our luck it might be a trap.

"We all got separate" Said Akira. "We should find a way to reunite with them"

"We should avoid going there" I point at the hallway in front of us. "That's clearly a trap"

"What do you mean?"

"Before we were attacked, I was going to say that the Treasure might be in Misaki's room. That's the most logical place to search, isn't it?"

"Maybe you are right... And this hallway leading to her room?"

"It looks exactly the same as the hallway in the real world... If the Treasure is really in her room, then she's messing with us now. We should turn around and go- AH!" I jump back when I saw something that I didn't want to see now... A Statue. It was the statue of a tall man staring at us. Akira looks at the statue too and he seems creeped out be it. I'm not surprise, it had the form of a really skinny man with his bones almost visible and a sword go right through his chest. He didn't have mouth, nose or ears, but he had eyes and they were wide open like he didn't have eyelids... And he didn't have any at all. I walk away slowly from him and grab Akira's arm. "Don't look at him in the eyes"

"... I think I already did" Said Akira and he looks away.

"No! Don't look away now! He will-" The Statue move violently and point at us. His jaw tearing up the skin and creating a mouth full of sharp teeth and screaming with a baby's voice. "Dammit!" Akira, without thinking it twice, summon his Persona.

"Arsene!" Arsene attacks the Statue with Darkness, but it didn't do anything at all. The attack went right through it like the statue wasn't even there to begin with. "Dammit... Jack Frost!" He summons another Persona which I wasn't expecting at all. This Persona attack with ice, but it happens the same thing as before. "What the...? Sandman!" He summons yet another Persona and attacks with wind, but the result was the same. "You can't be serious now... Oni!" A bigger Persona appears and attacks the Statue with his bare fists, but the Statue take out the sword from his chest and cut the Persona in half. "... Is this a joke right?"

"The Statues... I don't think we can do anything to them" I said.

"They don't look like Shadows... Are they... Cognitions?" Akira asks to himself.

"Whatever they are we should run away from them for now" I said and behind the Statue came out fifteen more of them. "Run" The Statues run toward us and we run away from them as fast as we could.

"This is on another level!" Akira yell. "Maybe they are cheating!"

"Of course they are cheating! Misaki is a cheater by nature!"

* * *

 **Ryuji's POV**

I fall for who knows how long and hit the ground so hard that I almost break my back. The walls around me move and create a new room, the ceiling didn't exist and I could see that void from where I was falling. Then I saw Makoto falling next to me. As soon she hit the ground whole room shook. I stand up and walk toward her.

"Makoto, are you alright?!" I ask and she stands up without troubles.

"Yes... That was unexpected" She said and look around. The place looked completely normal, it was a living room. "This place... It feels different from the rest"

"Yeah... Wait, isn't this a Safe Room?" I ask and the room distorts a little, showing black walls made of bricks.

"It looks like... Also, this might be the living room, that means she doesn't use or either don't pay any attention to it, which is really odd" Makoto had something in mind. "I've been thinking while I was falling and I think that the reason Misaki have complete control over the Palace structure is because she literally controls her own house. Naoki mentioned that his guardian almost never comes back home?"

"Yes, then that means that she sees the house as her own playhouse"

"Without an authority, she's free to do whatever she wants and following that train of thought, it might mean that the other Safe Room might be the guardian's room and the Treasure might be inside her own room. I won't be surprised if the origin of the distortion comes from there too" Makoto explains and Ryuji scratches his head.

"Good... The bad thing is that she keeps changing the whole Palace. We might never reach her room"

"We have to try. She might have control, but like everyone else... she's human, she can't keep an eye on all of us. Separating us was a good move from her, but also risky. Now we have more chances to reach the Treasure"

"Huh, I didn't saw it that way" Ryuji smile. "Alright, let's get goin'" Ryuji walk to the door and open it. There wasn't a floor outside the Safe Room, actually, there wasn't anything outside the Safe Room. Ryuji saw the rest of the Palace in the distant, a giant labyrinth that is constantly changing and multiple rooms floating outside of it. "We might have a problem, Makoto"

"I'm seeing it... We might be stuck here for a while"

"I refuse to stay here... There has to be a way to go back there" Ryuji look at the others room floating, they were moving around the Palace, like they were moons and the Palace was a planet. Then a room pass in front of them, it was pretty far away, but closer at the same time. Ryuji goes back inside the room and saw a large table. He smiles and looks at Makoto. "I think... I have an idea"

"Is it going to work?"

"That depends... Is there a sit for me in Johanna?"

"Y-Yes... Wait, are you suggesting that...?"

"Hell yeah! Are we thinking the same thing?"

"I think we do... Let's do it"

* * *

 **Ann's POV**

I was separated from the rest. I fall into a long hallway with Morgana. The walls move like they were alive and, out of nowhere, they try to crush us to death. I stand up, grab Morgana, who was unconscious for the moment and run as fast as my feets could take me. The hallway was getting smaller and smaller the further I go. I saw a metal door at the end, but the closer, the smaller it gets.

"This can't be happening, this can't be happening, this can't be happening!" I yell as I run away from the walls that try to crush us. I reach the door and was almost half of my size. I kick it to open it. I throw Morgana inside and crawl my way inside. The walls close behind me, a second later and I would be coming back home without a leg... or both of them. I stand up and Morgana opens his eyes.

"Ugh... My head hurts..." He said and stand up. "What happened?"

"We fall and you hit your head against the ground... And we almost get crushed by the walls, but besides that, I think we are doing fine" I said sarcastically.

"Where are the others? Did we get separated?"

"Looks like it... This place is kinda dark" I look around and we were in a big room without light, but at least I could see where Morgana was. "Can you see anything? Cats have nocturne vision right?"

"I'm not a cat!" Morgana yells at me. "... But yes... I have nocturne vision and I'm seeing pretty well"

"Is there any exit around?"

"Mmm... I can see a door, but is chained up... Wait, there's a switch on the wall" Morgana run to the switch and the lights were on. We were in a room with red walls and a brown chained door. "Ann..." Morgana stares at the door.

"Is there a problem?"

"... I think the Treasure is at the other side of this door" Morgana point at the door and that catch me off guard completely. I wasn't expecting to find the Treasure that easily.

"Seriously?!"

"Yes! I can sense it! We are so close!" Morgana smile. "But the door... Won't open that easily"

"I figure that much... We should search for the others. We found the Treasure at least"

"Yes, but considering Misaki's power we might lose our way back here. Looks like she's constantly changing the Palace structure. It shows the power and influence she has over the house. She sees it as a dungeon in which she's the ruler... Maybe we should try to open the door now to see if the Treasure is really there. I'm sure that it's inside, but maybe it's a trap. We can't be too sure with Misaki now"

"Alright, let's see if we can get inside"

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

Naoki and I managed to lose the statues and fall to our knees in an empty hallway. We eventually sit down and lay against the wall. I was frustrated, and I mean REALLY frustrated, that I couldn't even kill a single one of those things while Naoki looked grateful that we manage to escape. It's the first time since we start the Phantom Thieves that I truly feel completely useless. But putting that aside, while we were resting, we hear a weird noise that was coming from below our feets. The whole Palace starts shaking out of nowhere.

"... Did you hear that?" I ask and Naoki nodded. "What was that?"

"I think... Misaki is changing the Palace again. It feels like... She's about to tear the whole place apart and put it back together in a different order" Naoki explains.

"Perfect... Just Perfect. How much control does she have here?"

"... All of it?"

"Dammit!" I hit my head against the wall. "If we at least find a Safe Room, everything would be different... But don't worry. We'll end this"

"I know... But now it looks harder than before" In that moment the hallway cut itself in half and separate from the rest of the Palace. Naoki and I could sense the floor moving away from the main Palace. We stand up and saw how the hallway was floating away with them in it. "Of course... Another obstacle"

"I'm getting tired of this" The hallway float away, but suddenly goes back to the Palace and place itself on the last floor. In front of us appear a wooden door, out of nowhere, and Naoki tries to open it. "You don't what's on the other side"

"It's better than staying here and do nothing" Naoki open the door, take a step and fall forward. "What the F-?!" He falls for a second before hitting the floor... or wall from my angle of vision. He falls to a red room. To my surprise, I saw two familiar faces in that room, Ann and Morgana.

"Naoki?!" Ann yells and checks on him. "Are you alright?!"

"... No. It hurt a lot" Naoki stand up. "I wasn't expecting this at all... I might've broken my back"

"I told you to be careful" I yell.

"I know!" He yell back. I jump and landed safely on the floor. "Showoff..."

"Thanks... Well, at least we reunite faster than expected" I look at Ann and smile. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I almost get killed, but nothing to worry about" Ann explain and I saw Morgana trying to open a chained door.

"What are you doing, Mona?" I ask and he looks at me.

"The Treasure is on the other side" He said and that was enough to make me and Naoki run to the door and help him to break the chains.

"I was right, the Treasure is in Misaki's room" Said Naoki. "This door is just like the door to the bedroom"

"Good, but how do we open it?" Ann asks while she looks at us trying to pull out the chains. "I don't think that's the way to break the chains"

"Well... There's another way" Said Morgana and we look at him, expecting the answer, although I think I know that answer. "If we can't open it, then we can open it on the real world. Just like we did with Madarame"

"... Then that means that Misaki always has her door close with a key?" I ask Naoki and he shrugs.

"I didn't try to enter her room before, but I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case" Naoki crossed his arms. "So... You are telling me that I need to open her room?"

"Yes, and she needs to see it happening for us to enter"

"... You know that you are asking me to do something that will probably get myself killed, don't you?" Naoki was right. If he's not careful, Misaki will hurt him or even kill him. I highly doubt she'll kill her own brother... But... Misaki is really unpredictable.

"It's a risk, yes" Said Morgana. "But if we do it right, then you'll get out of it unharmed"

"Good... How do I do that?"

"Hmm... We have some time until the evening. We might as well try it now" Morgana suggest.

"Are you sure?" Ann ask, concerned.

"We are already here and we didn't found any Safe Room so far, so better get to the Treasure. When we find it and send the Calling Card we'll need to dedicate all that day on reaching the Treasure, because I know Misaki not only will be waiting for us, but she'll make sure that we don't reach it"

"... Alright... Does any of you want to come with me?" Naoki asks and Ann was first one on turn him down. "Seriously?"

"On not going anywhere near that crazy bitch"

"... Akira?"

"I'll pass"

"Ugh... Then what about you, Morgana?"

"Sure, I'll go" He accepted without complaining.

"Really? I thought you'll decline too" Naoki was surprised, just like me and Ann.

"Supposing that she's inside the house, I need you to distract her. If she's not, then we'll wait until she shows up and sees the door open" Morgana explains. "She has to see the door open before her for this to work"

"Okay... This is going to be a little hard for me... Let's get out of here then" Naoki and Morgana leave.

"As soon the door open, find a way to maintain it open, just like before" Morgana order us.

"Don't worry. We'll take care of it"

* * *

 **Makoto's POV**

To be honest, I had doubts about Ryuji's plan, but I'm with him now. Not because of our chances of survival, but because it sounds and looks exciting. Ryuji opens the door, place the "ramp" and run toward me. I summon Johanna and he sits behind me. We wait for an opportunity, it was that or fall to the void. We saw an empty room slowly coming into view and I wait for Ryuji's signal to accelerate.

"Wait for it..." He said. "Wait..." We saw the room in full view right in front of us. The door was open and Ryuji scream. "Now!" I accelerate and go full speed toward the door. We jump the ramp and reach the other room without any difficulty. I saw another room floating at the end of the hallway full of Shadows and I get carried away by the speed. "Qu-Queen, there are Shadows up ahead. Stop!" I didn't hear Ryuji and keep going at full speed, running over every Shadow that was on my way and jump toward the next floating room. We barely made it to the room and I hit the breaks when I saw a dead end. Ryuji falls to the ground and looks at me in disbelief. "That was awesome, but I thought we won't make it. You could've told you'll go all the way!"

"So-Sorry... I got excited" I confess and for a moment I thought about buying a motorcycle, but I shake my head and get rid of that thought for now. One thing was riding Johanna, but riding a motorcycle in the real world feels different...

"It's okay. I wasn't yelling at you or anything. It was exciting and fun"

"Hahaha, even though we find ourselves in this weird situation you have the luxury of having some fun" I find Ryuji to be quite... Unique. I don't know. I look at our dead end, it was a giant red wall. "Now then... What are we going to do now? I saw that we are now at least back to the main Palace, but we don't have a map... or know where the Treasure is. The whole place is a labyrinth that "rebuild" itself. It change rooms, hallways and even big parts of itself, twist them and place them in another part of the Palace"

"It's a real pain in the ass if you ask me" Ryuji look at the wall. "I wish it didn't do this so randomly..."

"... Or maybe it isn't" I suggest. I have the feeling that it changes based on some kind of pattern. I told Ryuji that.

"Seriously? Did you figure it out already?!"

"Not really. It's a theory. From what I saw while we were in that room away from the Palace, it looked like the rooms on the lower part of the Palace are cut in half and taken to the top, while those on the top are reshaped, slipt and taken to the bottom... It's quite simple, but I have the feeling that it's half true. I think is actually random on what part of the top or bottom the rooms are taken"

"And now we are... Where we are?"

"In the bottom, near the middle"

"So, now we have to wait, huh? How long it will take?"

"Everything changes every two minutes, so we'll wait and see what happens"

* * *

 _Misaki walk through the Central Street in Shibuya. Her eyes look everywhere, searching for something specific. A lot of things goes through her mind that it was hard to follow her thoughts, it was like a computer. She stops when she finds what she was searching for... She smiles and walks right to her target. While she did so, she put on black gloves and slowly get closer. She starts the act._

 _"Officer!" She said with a desperate tone to the police officer near the corner of the street. Oddly enough, there weren't any people walking around. "There's a man in the alley! He's bleeding! Someone stab him!" Misaki act really desperate, like a normal girl that just saw someone about to die for the first time._

 _"What?!" The officer asks, surprised by the sudden situation. "Where?!"_

 _"Follow me!" She said and grab the officer's arm. She takes him to the black alley and point at the mountain of trash near the wall. "He's near the trash!" She said and the officer gets closer to it, only to discover that there was no one there. Confused, he turns around._

 _"There's no one here-" His sentences couldn't be finished. Misaki stabs him in the stomach, she twists the knife and takes it out while cutting the right side of his guts. The officer falls to the ground, he couldn't scream at all because he was spitting blood._

 _"Now there's someone here" Misaki smile. "Are you calling me a liar? That's not right" Misaki saw the gun in the police's belt. She takes it out of the holster and looks at it like she just finds a new toy. "This is really nice... Can I have it?" She asks and the officer tries to raise his arm, but the pain he's feeling is so strong that he can't even move. "I'll take that as a yes. Thank you..." Misaki turns around, the people walking around didn't notice her. She grabs the officer and drags them far away from the street, toward the deepest part of the alley. "Before you pass out, I want to have a little fun with you" She grab the man's jaw and force it open. She then grabs her knife and put it inside his mouth. "I always wanted to try this... You might, or not, feel extreme pain... But that's the best part of it, isn't it?" She asks with a twisted smile and her eyes turn bright yellow, demonic bright yellow. Her voice twists a little too, like a demon. "Reality is so fragile. No wonder this world is going to end soon"_


	37. Open Path, Questions and Calling Card

**It's been a while since I update. I had a really long vacation :D Now is time to come back and finish this once and for all. It will take a while, sure, but I will finish this fanfic!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 36: Open Path, Questions, Treasure and Calling Card**_

 **Naoki's POV**

"Alright... Here we are" I said as we go inside the house. To be honest, every time I go back home I feel like I'm going inside a jail of some sort and Misaki is my warden. I know it's a normal house, it belongs to a man that barely comes back and doesn't care about us at all. I wonder what awaits me after this, what will happen to Misaki? What will happen to me? Will she be the same or will she become someone unable to function as a person? I saw what happen to the people whose hearts are changed... They regret every single action, so much in fact that they might commit suicide. I hear that a girl did indeed commit suicide and that make me doubt for a moment, but considering what Misaki was doing... I was willing to take the risk. Not for my own safety or the rest, but because I care about my sister and I want this to end now before it goes out of hands and now there's no turning back. We'll end this. "Misaki's room is upstairs. The first door to the right... I'll see if she's around" I whispers and Morgana nodded. "Be careful"

"Don't worry about me. I unlock a door before. I have experience" He said with a smirk or at least I think it was a smirk. I couldn't actually tell.

"Okay, I trust in you. Just be careful, I don't want you to get hurt. I like cats"

"I'm not a cat!" He yells

"Don't yell!" Without thinking I yell back and wait for something to happen, but Misaki didn't appear. "Huh... She's not around. Let's go then, I'll help you" I took Morgana upstairs and we walk to Misaki's room. Morgana climb to the door and in that moment Naoki hear the front door opening. A silence invade the house then Misaki's voice could be heard.

"Naoki? Can you come here for a moment?" Said Misaki with a strange sweet voice, like she was another person. Me and Morgana exchanges worried looks. I take a deep breath.

"Don't stop. I'll deal with her" I said, with a little of fear in my voice. I was scared of my own sister when she talks like that, all sweet all of the sudden is never a good thing.

"Be careful. I'll tell you when I'm done. She has to see her room open so when I'm done, bring her here" Morgana repeat something that I already knew. I walk, slowly, down the stairs and saw Misaki, strangely enough, she was smiling at me.

"Misaki... I wasn't expecting you to be here this... Early" I said, nervously.

"That's bullshit and we know it, Brother" Misaki took out a gun from her back. That alone was enough for me to take a few steps backs without thinking. "You know... I have something to tell you, Naoki. Will you hear me out?" She keeps smiling.

"I'm listening... But can you put that gun down?" I ask and Misaki, strangely enough, did what I said and lower the gun. "What is it?"

"I know that the Phantom Thieves are already trying to steal my heart, that is why I'm going to make sure they don't reach it" She move the gun around and I take several steps away from her. "I also know you are helping them... I saw it all on the other side" When she said " _The other side_ ", my eyes widen while thinking about the Metaverse. Does she know? How?

"T-The other side...? What do you mean?" I play dumb, obviously, but that proves to be a big mistake. Misaki stares at me, with a smile on her face and without saying a single thing, she shoots me in the shoulder with the gun. She didn't even hesitate, she didn't even doubt. She just shoots me with a smile, like it was no big deal. I was in shock and fall to the ground. My back hit the ground, followed by my head and it took me seconds to realize what just happened. In reality, it took me seconds, but in my mind looked like hours, maybe even days. I blink and feel the pain coming from my shoulder and scream while my hands reach my shoulder where the wound was. I was my hand stained with blood.

"Don't lie to me, I saw them all in that world. My other self, my "Shadow" talked to me... She shows me what happens, what you all are doing and none of you are going to win this. None of you are going to reach my treasure" She said while her eyes turn glowing yellow. "Now decide carefully... You want to live or die?" Her voice distorted and she sounded like her Shadow.

"It... Can't be... Are you the Shadow?"

"Nice, you figure it out... I can switch place with my self in reality. It's been a lot of fun actually. I had my doubts in the beginning, but that God did keep his promise" She said and I didn't understand what she was talking about. The pain was so strong that I couldn't think straight.

"God? What?"

"Nothing important... Now, what should be my next move here? Should I kill you slowly or should I first grab that CAT and put a bullet in his skull?!" She yells and saw the stairs. Morgana was seeing the whole thing from up the stairs. When Misaki made eye contact, Morgana run away.

"The door is open, Naoki!" Morgana yelled and run away.

"I can hear you, Kitty!" Misaki yells at Morgana and runs after him. She leaves me on the floor, bleeding out. The pain was worse than I thought it would be, but despite that, I did my best to stand up and run after her. I go up the stairs and found her entering her own room. The door was wide open and in just a couple of seconds, I saw Morgana being throw to the hallway wall. Misaki gets out of her room and point at him with the gun.

"Sweet dream, Kitty," She said. I, without thinking, run toward her and push her away before she could even shoot. She let go of the gun and in the heat of the moment I punch her really hard in the face, and to my surprise, I knocked her unconscious. The next thing I saw was that she was bleeding from her nose and her eyes were closed. I hyperventilate thanks to the situation, I got myself up and get away from my sister's body.

"Shit, shit, shit... Morgana!" I turn around and help Morgana who was still on the ground. "Are you alright?!"

"She... kicked me too hard," He said. "I think she broke one of my ribs..."

"Dammit... Come, let's get out of here" I said while I carry him in my arms, almost like I was carrying a baby.

"Thanks, Naoki" He simply says.

"Don't worry. We'll take care of you... God, I hope this works..."

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

I, along with Ann, saw how the door opens violently in front of us. The chains break themselves and as soon the door opens we enter and found ourselves in what can only be described as an Empty Space. This place looked like it has no end. Everything around us was white and we were stepping on water. We were walking on water. In this vast emptiness, we saw the Treasure sitting on top of a twisted dying tree. The tree was growing on top of what it looked like a blue box. In reality, that box was a cell and to my surprise, it looked really familiar... It looked like the cell from the Velvet Room, surrounded by chains and on top of that, inside of it was Misaki... But she looked different from the Shadow we saw and from the real Misaki. She was a little girl, crying in the corner of her cell. She was wearing inmates clothes like she was some kind of prisoner and I couldn't help but feel both sad for her and a feeling of Deja vu.

"Misaki?" I ask as I get closer to the cell. Misaki didn't look at me, she keeps crying. "Are you really Misaki?" I keep asking, but she refuses to look at me in the eyes.

"Is she...? She can't be the Shadow" Said Ann with disbelief. "Maybe she's a cognition or something. Maybe a copy of how she sees herself?"

"A girl... Locked in a cell..." I said, but it can't be. This felt too familiar for some reason. I felt a sense of familiarity. That cell, I have troubles looking at that cell. "She isn't a cognition... I don't know what she is, but I feel that she's more than that. Besides... Why is the Treasure on top of her cell? Maybe there's a meaning in this" As I say that, we heard how the Palace start to change again. When that happens, Misaki inside the cell looks at me with tears in her eyes.

"Run," She said with fear. "Get out of here! She's coming back!"

"Who?" Ann asked

"My Dark Self" She almost whispers. "Run... Before she finds you here. And you don't want to see the "other one", She's worst than my Dark Self"

"What?" I ask and the entire room was swallowed by the darkness.

"Please... Run" She said while crying.

"Let's get out of here, Ann" I said and we run away from the room and proceed to get out of the Palace...

* * *

 **Ryuji's POV**

The giant red wall disappears and opens us a new path in front of us. It shows us a familiar door, at least for me. I don't know where I saw that door though. "Alright! Let's keep going!" I run to the door and Makoto try to stop me.

"Ryuji, wait!" She yells. I push the door and open it completely... Only to find myself outside of the Palace.

"What the...? Wait! This is the fricking front door!" I yell in realization.

"I recognize it right away, but I'm surprised you didn't," Said Makoto. "But I'm still surprised, it took us outside. The room we saw when we enter disappear and switch places. I'm impressed of this Palace and to be honest. I want to explore it, but considering what kind of person this Palace belongs to, I think is better to change her heart right away"

"Yeah... I give her credit for the Palace too, but it's a frickin' pain in the ass!"

"... Why a labyrinth though?" She asks. "This is supposed to be her home... Everything here is twisted and upside down. It changes so fast too"

"It makes no sense," I said.

"No... Maybe it does. Remember the keyword "Dungeon". I don't know her, but from what I could tell, Misaki is a twisted person, someone cautious, someone with secrets and really dangerous. Maybe this Palace is the way it is because she's making changes in her own house, maybe changing things from one place to another... Or maybe this is a way of showing how she is in control of the place and can do whatever she wants. Maybe it's twisting because of that... But the Dungeon part... Why is it a Dungeon?" Makoto asks and we hear someone behind us.

"She's the Warder and I'm her prisoner" We turn around and saw Naoki with Morgana. Morgana was healing his shoulder. "You might not believe it, but she's a big fan of medieval settings and fantasy worlds. So I'm not surprised she sees our house as her own personal Dungeon"

"Naoki! What happen?" I ask while pointing at his shoulder. "You are bleeding!"

"We got back to reality and try to open Misaki's room to enter the room with the Treasure" He explains and not only me, but Makoto's eyes widen too.

"You found the Treasure already?!" She asks.

"Yes" Morgana answers. "We change her cognition a little, we only have to wait now to see if Joker and Panther enter and-" In that moment, Akira fall from the sky and landed, kind of gracefully, on the floor.

"Argh! The hell man?! Where did you come from?!" I yell and he simply points at the Palace. We saw a door on the wall, around the third floor and Ann didn't want to jump.

"I'm not jumping! Is too high!" She yells.

"Come on, Panther. Is not that bad!" I yell so she can hear me.

"Screw you, Skull!"

"Just jump" Said Makoto. "We'll catch you"

"Fine..." Ann was doubting for a moment and finally jump. I make sure to catch her, but she ended up landing on top of me. The next thing I knew was that I was facing the floor and Ann was sitting in my back.

"That was close," She said.

"Close?! You landed on top of me!" I yell.

"Relax. I bet it didn't hurt you"

"That's not the fricking point!"

"Can you two calm down already?" Naoki asks. "So, it worked?" He asks Akira and he nodded.

"Yes, we got to the Treasure, but there's something we have to talk about. Let's go back and go with Kagura. She and Yusuke need to hear this..."

* * *

 **Yusuke's POV**

They come back from the Palace and when they did, it was getting dark outside. We all gather in the living room and hear everything Akira has to say and what he thought was happening in the room where the Treasure was. To be quite honest, I was confused as to way there was another Misaki inside a tiny cell. It took me by surprise and I didn't even know what to think of that. My eyes focus on Kagura for a moment, she looked depressed. Before they come back, she was getting more and quieter, like something was bothering her and I could tell that she was about to yell in frustration or something worse. Her eyes were screaming, she wanted to let something out.

"So... What do you think that means?" Ryuji asks the question we all have been asking ourselves.

"To be honest... I think that we are dealing with someone with a serious personality disorder... Does she, Naoki?" He asks Naoki who was quiet for most of the time. He shrugs.

"Actually I wouldn't be surprised at this point. I know she has issues, but a personality disorder would explain quite a lot... But aren't we in a problem if that's the case?" Naoki was a little concern.

"What do you mean?" Ryuji asks.

"It's actually a good question," Said Morgana. "If we change her heart, we don't know for sure what kind of effect will have on her. Supposing the personality disorder is real, then when we change her heart, the Shadow will go back to her real self... But the question is, which one? The Girl in the cell or the Misaki we already know"

"It's confusing to even think about it" Said Ann. "But it's only a theory, right?"

"Kinda... But didn't looked a little weird to you that the Treasure was on top of that cell, not only that, that there was a tree growing on top of that cell" Said Akira and Naoki's eyes widen.

"A tree? You didn't mention a tree... How it looked like?" He asks and Akira didn't waste time to answer.

"It was twisted and it looked like it was slowly dying... Why?"

"..." Naoki remains silent for a moment, thinking about something, leaving all of us with curiosity, even myself wanted to know what he was thinking. He raises his head and looks at us. "I think I know why... But I'll rather stay quiet"

"If it's something personal, I'll understand" Said Makoto. "Still, we should be careful, even if she doesn't have a personality disorder. What she did is too much for someone to bare. Taking someone's life is too much and maybe she will..."

"If she commits suicide..." Said Kagura, but shut herself up. "... Nothing. Forget that I talked at all"

There was a tense atmosphere around us, we knew that we should be careful. Not because of the danger of what might come next, but the danger of facing a Shadow that could easily go between worlds. That, for me, was completely impossible, but we don't really understand the Metaverse, how it works and what can be done and what not.

"... I don't know if we can face her Shadow. We might be destroyed before we even reach the Treasure again" Said Ryuji.

"We have to try. The Treasure is right there. We have to act now" Said Ann.

"The path is open, the problem is reaching the room again," Said Akira. "Kagura... What do you think?" Akira asks for Kagura's opinion and she took her time to come up with a solid opinion.

"I... To be honest... Want to get this over with as soon as possible" She said. "Let's do this tomorrow and get this over with... I'm not in the best mood and we don't have time. We don't know what might happen next if we let her be"

"I agree, we should change her heart as soon as possible" Said Makoto. "We can send the card tomorrow. Are we all agreed?"

We all agreed almost immediately, to be honest, I didn't want Kagura to be part of this, but she seems better. More quiet than usual, but a little better nonetheless. By tomorrow she'll be better, but I couldn't help but think that maybe something might happen, something unexpected. That day we use the rest of our time in thinking about a strategy to climb the Dungeon. Ryuji and Kagura make the Calling Card for Misaki. Akira, Makoto, and Ann discuss the best way to avoid the changes in the tower and climb it as soon as possible. I was with Morgana and Naoki, we were having a little conversation. Naoki was nervous and I don't blame him.

"Naoki... Everything will be alright" I said and he simply nodded.

"I know, but there's something I can't get out of my head... What if we change her heart and Misaki... You know... Die... I don't know if I can live with that... To know that I kill my own sister"

"It's not an easy choice, I know that" Said Morgana. "But keep in mind that if we don't act now, it'll get worse"

"I know, it's just that... Even though she did all this, she's still my family and it doesn't matter how much I hate her, she's my sister and I spend all my life with her. I don't know if I can take it"

"In times like this, you have to be strong," Said Morgana.

"Strong... I wish I was strong... In reality in such a weak person..."

"A weak person wouldn't risk his life to save my life. You are stronger than you think, stop thinking like that"

"A strong person doesn't need the muscle to be strong, but to have the determination and the courage to stand and do what's right. Naoki, you are strong" I said and Naoki gives me a weak smile.

Shortly after the Calling Card was done we all decided to have dinner at Kagura's apartment. We order sushi and after we were done, we review our strategy for the Palace once more and after that everyone leave, even Naoki. He didn't want to go back home and we all knew why that's why Akira took him with him and let him stay in the cafe. Once everyone leaves, Kagura stay in the living room, sitting on the table and staring at her scar. I sit next to her and out of nowhere she speaks.

"... I'm feeling better... Physically, but emotionally... I think I'm a mess right now. I'm... afraid" She was having a hard time saying that out loud and I could tell, her face was trying to be a neutral as possible. "It's the first time in a long time I feel so afraid of someone... The idea of dying didn't cross my mind for a really long time"

"..." I remain quiet.

"I don't know what will happen tomorrow. I know that we will be victorious, but I can't help but feel that Misaki has something under her sleeve. Something ready for us. She taunts us and maybe we are where she wants us to be... Let's be careful tomorrow and make sure to not fall into a trap"

"I will be careful, but you have to be too. I'm worried about you. You almost die today..." Only by saying that it makes me realize how fragile she is. The last thing I want is for her to get hurt... Not only her but the rest of the team. I don't want them to get hurt.

"... Thanks for worrying about me, but stop it. I'm alright, Yusuke. We should go to sleep, tomorrow will be a tough battle"

* * *

 _ **7/3 Sunday**_

 _It was morning already and Misaki was sitting in her living room. She found herself walking toward the little table and saw an unusual card on top of it. She smiles and recognizes the Phantom Thieves logo on it. She picks it up and read the message out loud..._

 _ **Miss Misaki Hanazawa, The Demon of Madness. The crimes you have committed are despicable and unforgettable. You've done so much evil that you are beyond forgiveness. We will, without fail, steal your twisted desires and expose you as the murderer you are. We will rip out your sheep clothing and the world will finally see the wolf beneath that skin you were using. Prepare for confessing your crimes...**_

 _ **From the Phantom Thieves.**_

 _"Well... What a nice Calling Card. Still, will they succeed or fail? I can't wait to see the results... I can't wait to see them die at the hands of my Other Self... Hahahaha... HAHAHAHAHAHA" Everything around Misaki distorts itself and the Shadow appear._

" **I WILL CRUSH THEM. NO ONE ESCAPE FROM MY DUNGEON... ALIVE... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA** "

 _While Misaki laughs, A butterfly... A Black Butterfly stare at her from the corner of the room. The Butterfly fly away from the living room, to the window and outside of the house. Outside the Phantom Thieves open the Metaverse Navigator an enter the Metaverse. The Black Butterfly disappear in mid-air shortly after the group enters the Metaverse..._


	38. The Crawling Madness

_**New Chapter ;D Enjoy it and please, leave me a review. I want to know what do you think about it.**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 37: The Crawling Madness**_

 **Kagura's POV**

The Calling Card was delivered, everything was in place, we were all prepared for anything... Almost anything. We didn't know what to expect from Misaki and we should be really careful, if not she might kill us. I was better today, I could fight and I want to have a fair fight with her, to be honest, I actually want to get back at her for what she did to me, but I was fine with only kicking her ass. We all gather in front of Naoki and Misaki's house. As soon we make sure she read the Calling Card we enter to the Metaverse and appear right in front of her Palace. It was exactly as Akira describe it. Next to me was Naoki with his dark clothes and weird mask. It looked cooler than I was expecting.

"Alright... This is it" Said Naoki. He couldn't hide the fact that he was nervous and scared at the same time. Not only me, but everyone notices it and Akira was the first one on calm him down.

"Don't worry. This will be over quick, Naoki..."

"Thanks..." He said.

"Wait a minute... We didn't pick up a codename for him, didn't we?" Ann asks.

"That's right, but considering our situation he didn't actually need it. Let's leave that for the next time" Said Ryuji. At least he's focus.

"Alright, let's go" I said. "Let's stay together" We all run to the entrance, open the door and to everyone surprise, mine included, we found ourselves in the Treasure Room, it was just as how Akira describe it... An Empty Space, full of white and a twisted three in the middle, growing on top of a blue cell. I slowly walk toward the cell and just like Akira said there was a little version of Misaki, but she was sleeping. I look up to the tree and saw the Treasure on top of the tree. "There's the Treasure" I said.

"Is that a Chest?" Ryuji asks. He was right, it was a wooden chest. Like a Treasure Chest.

"This is obviously a trap" Said Makoto. "Misaki might be waiting for us to take it. The fact that the Treasure Room was right at the entrance tells us that she wants us to be here"

"Then what do we do?" Ann asks.

"Let's try and grab it" Said Naoki. "If we simply sit down and wait, maybe she'll never come"

"She's waiting for the perfect opportunity," I said. In that moment, out of nowhere, the white void surrounding us turn into a dark red and Misaki suddenly appear in the middle of the group with a huge grin on her face. We all jump away from her and Misaki let out a chuckle.

" **Hahahaha, Nice reaction. You didn't see me coming** " She said. " **Now that we are all here, what do you say if we play a game?** "

"A game?" Naoki asks.

" **Yes... If you, by any chances, defeat me and take the Treasure then I'll let you know a thing, maybe two... About something you might want to know...** " She said with a smile. " **But... If you lose against me... You all will be my prisoners here... I will torture you every single day until you beg me to end your miserable life, but I won't do it, no matter how much you beg me. You all will be my personal toys, I'll play with you, break you, put you back together and then repeat the process. It's boring to be here sometimes, so this will provide a lot of fun for me** "

"We won't be losing against someone like you!" Said Ann. "We'll take that Treasure and steal your heart"

" **Are you sure about that? Let me ask you a question. I'm sure you all have a reason to be here, to change me, to " _Save_ " me... But... How long will this last?**"

"What?" Ryuji asks, confused.

" **Yes, the whole " _Phantom Thieves_ " thing. How long do you think you can keep up? What you are doing is a futile fight against a society that is as corrupted as I. You all are going against society itself, but how long until you realize that it's useless to fight against those people. Unlike you, I hate society to the core and their rules. You try to change them, while I just go against them like a good Psychopath... But how long can you keep this up? Three years? Five? Ten? How long? You'll end up quitting when you see the truth... Society can't be reformed. Just stop this and let the world crash against the wall... Let the world destroy itself so they can learn from their mistakes... But it doesn't matter how much damage they do to themselves, they will never learn their lesson**"

"We will keep this up no matter what. We can do good and we will help those in need" I said to her and Misaki laugh at me.

" **Ha... Hahaha... Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha** "

"What so damn funny?" I ask her.

" **Oh, Kagura... You just said that? " _We will help those in need_ ", DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH! You, of all people, shouldn't talk about saving people... Do I need to remind you of that girl that kill herself because of your selfish acts?**" She said and walk toward me. I didn't want to hear about that girl ever again. " **The reason you steal her heart is because you couldn't live with yourself knowing that there was a messed up girl that fooled the police... You kill that girl because you wanted to play hero, to be justice itself... But that's stupid... And that's why you and all your friends here will die** "

"We are not afraid or you!" Said Ryuji. "We are Eight against one. This will be easier if you just give us the Treasure"

"Don't provoke her, Ryuji!" Said Yusuke.

" **... Is that so...?** " Misaki asks with her smile going wider and wider to the point it reaches both of her ears. That smile was impossible. " **You think... That because you are more, you have an advantage over me? How cute... How stupid of you. Just as stupid as those annoying voices in my head... You'll end up like them... I'll erase you all from the world** " Her smile reveal sharp teeth resembling the one of a Sand Tiger Shark.

"Holy shit!" Ryuji yells when Misaki shows her teeth. Misaki takes a step toward us and her whole body start to shake violently. Misaki fall to her knees and from her back came out four arms, two on each side of the body near her original arms. Misaki vomit blood and a hole form in her chest, where the heart should be. Her legs change too and took the form of a grasshopper's legs. She stares at us and saw that four more eyes appear in her forehead, eyes that belong to a spider, her skin turn completely white and from her back a pair of black Butterfly wings came out. The crown she was using set itself on fire and got bigger, with bones of bigger animals. It also floats on top of her head, which had now horns resembling the ones Naoki had in his mask. Her black and white dress remain but was a little torn apart because of the sudden transformation. Misaki, showing her Shark teeth, laugh maniacally. From her mouth a little of blood came out, she was drooling blood.

"Oh my god, this is horrifying!" Said Ann.

"Her Shadow form is as twisted as she is" Said Yusuke.

"That's messed up!" Said Ryuji.

" **Are you afraid now?!** " She asks while all her eyes look at us. " **Are you enough to defeat me? Or you need more help, Thieves?! Let us Begin! This Palace will be your grave!** " The Shadow takes out six swords out of the water and grabs each one with her new hands... Now she wasn't planning on toying with us... She wanted to destroy us as soon as possible...

* * *

Haru decided to walk around Shibuya for a moment, mostly to stop thinking about how lonely she feels at home. She wanted to be surrounded by people, even if they are completely stranger, She prefers the street and the noise of the city instead of the silence and isolation of her own house. She walks toward the Bookstore in Shibuya and stays there for quite a while. In there she was looking at the books about plants, gardening and everything related about it. She couldn't help but to think about that boy she meets in this same Bookstore, Akira Kurusu. She actually wanted to meet him on the rooftop, but that incident happen... " _Poor girl,_ " She thought. " _I feel so sad for her and her family... Sometimes I ask myself why is this world so messed up, so dangerous, so... Cruel. Why it can't be nicer? Is there a way to change that? And more importantly... What can I do about that...? Can I even contribute to change the world? Can be changed, to begin with?_ " All those questions run wild inside her head and she couldn't stop thinking about it... She gets out of the Bookstore and stops in the middle of the street. She needs something to distract her mind and focus on one thing at the time...

"Alright, let's walk around a little more. Maybe I'll walk into Akira... I wanted to talk with him more. He seems like a nice guy" She said. Haru walks through Shibuya and disappears into the sea of people. Near the Bookstore, a tall man wearing a black suit and a long red scarf stare at Haru. He smiles viciously.

"... An acquaintance of the Trickster... Soon she will be involved in the Game... Let's step in sooner" He snap his fingers and Haru's phone vibrate. She takes it out and saw a black and red icon in the middle of the screen with an eye on it. "Welcome to the Game... Haru Okumura... I'm curious to see what will you do with it..."

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

Misaki's Shadow transforms into a monster in front of us. I was expecting that, every Shadow I've fought in the past did the exact same thing to protect their Treasures... But why? Why I have the feeling that she's different from the rest? Why I have the feeling that something awful is going to happen? I discard all those thoughts and focus on my enemy in front of me. Misaki takes a step forward, a slow step... And when her feet touch the water, she disappears and for a moment I thought she just break the sound barrier. She appears right next to me and she didn't give me time to even summon Kuma Lisa. Instead of attacking with her swords, she kicks me in the stomach and launches me at least 15 meters away. I landed on the water, but I didn't drown, I was still on top of the water. When Misaki kicked me, she and Yusuke clash swords right in the blink of an eye. Everyone get away from them and attack as soon they saw an opening, but they didn't hurt her at all like she was immune to any attack. Misaki focuses on Yusuke and attack with her six swords. Yusuke took a defensive pose with his sword, but Misaki's Shadow attack with so much force and power that Yusuke's sword break and he was left without a weapon and a way to defend himself beside his Persona. Misaki wanted to deal the final blow, but Yusuke summon Goemon and he protects him. Akira summons Arsene and he flies toward Misaki to attack from behind with Curse Attacks. Misaki's head turns around unnaturally to the point she breaks her neck to fully see Arsene behind her. Two of her arms raise and throw the swords she was holding at him. Arsene dodges easily, but he wasn't expecting the swords returning. The swords stab him in the back and he fades away. Akira scream, he feels the pain of those swords on his back and fall to his knees.

" **You think you can attack from behind?! Nice try!** " Said Misaki. Ryuji runs toward her and summons Captain Kidd while he approaches her.

"Electrocute her, Captain!" Ryuji yell and Kidd shoot lightning at her. Misaki receives the attack directly, but she didn't seem affected by it at all. Ryuji, not wanting to give up just yet, jump at her with a pipe in his hand. Misaki grabs him in mid-air by the throat.

" **Hm... Pathetic...** " She said. She was distracted, Ann took advantage of that and with Makoto they attack at the same time with fire and nuclear attacks, but again it didn't make any damage at all. Morgana and Naoki finally enter the battle and when Naoki summon his Persona, he uses Almighty attack. Before it could even touch Misaki's skin, she dodges the attack at the last second. " **I can fight with all of you and I'm not even sweating... I thought this would be a challenge** "

"Shut the fuck up!" Ryuji yelled. "We are just getting started!"

" **Hm, we'll see about that...** " She said. I stand up and summon my Persona. " **Oh, look who's up for more. Come on, Kobayashi, show me what you got** " I raise my hand and Kuma Lisa did the same. The water around Misaki float for a moment and eventually she floats too. I close my hand and try to crush her right there... But to my surprise, she was enduring the pressure. I could feel her in my hand and it was like if I had a rock in my hand and try to crush it. She was that hard. Misaki smiles and touches the gravity field that was trying to crush it with her own hands. Electricity runs through her arms and the field disappear. She landed in the water and without losing time she runs toward me. I prepare for anything, I still had my gun. I point at her, right in the head and shoot, but she moves to the right, missing the shoot. She appears to my right, grab me by the hair and pushing me against the water. She tries to drown me. " **You think that Gravity can stop me? I'm the ruler here, I have power beyond your comprehension, You can't defeat me!** "

"Says who?!" From behind Misaki, Naoki appears out of nowhere. He has his scythe in hand and before Misaki could even react, he cut two of her arms on the left side of her body. Misaki let go of me and she yells in pain. Her arms fall to the water and turn into dust. Naoki summons Dillinger and attacks her with everything he had. "Dillinger! Megidola!" He throws Almighty attacks at her, but Misaki dodges it. "Evil Smile!" The area surrounding Naoki was cover in purple fog. He wanted to inflict fear on her, but Misaki keeps dodging. She seems more concern about her missing arms than dodging Naoki's attack that for the moment she's been dodging perfectly. "Mudo!" A magic circle appears beneath Misaki, she couldn't dodge the attack in time, she tries to protect herself but heavily damage her. Misaki falls to her knees, gasping for air. Naoki runs toward her, wanting to end the fight. Misaki extends her wings and flies away from him. She flies toward the Twisted tree and sits on top of it, near the Treasure.

" **Okay, maybe I shouldn't be playing with you,** " She said with a serious face. "Maybe I should be more serious now"

"Misaki, there's no need for us to fight... Give me the Treasure" Said Naoki. Misaki simply smiles and grab the chest.

" **You say that because you don't want to fight me... You want the Treasure so bad?** " She asks and Naoki nodded. " **Then you'll have to kill me first** " Misaki's arms regenerate and more swords appear in her hands. She jumps out of the tree and landed near the cell. " **Hey! Little Misa, Did you hear? Our brother wants to steal our Treasure. What do you think?** " The Misaki in the cell staring at the Shadow.

" _... Please... Stop this... It hurts..._ " She said, almost crying.

" **It hurts, you say...? That's because you are slowly fading away... Once you disappear there will be no actual attachment to the world around me and the other one that born from you. We exist to replace you and take control of your life. You are our weaker self, the naive, innocent and stupid self** " She said and in that moment we all understand what was happening. It was exactly as Akira suggest, a Personality Disorder.

"Hey, leave her alone!" Said Naoki.

" **... Make me** " Misaki point at him with her swords. " **I'm not done with you yet** " Misaki stab the swords in the water and the water beneath us freeze traping us all. What comes next was completely unexpected. The ice trapping us explode and separate us all. I end up near Naoki and the water, and pieces of ice, from the explosion, fall like a rain. I get up as quickly as possible and ignore the pain and the coldness, but Naoki was having troubles. The explosion throws us away from the rest and Naoki looked weaker than before. His feets were still frozen and he was pale.

"Dammit!" I said. "Don't tell me you are weak to ice!" I grab him by the arms and try to help him. "Stand up! Come on!"

"I-I-I C-can't..." Naoki stutter. "I-I can't feel my legs"

"Goddamit!" I yell and Misaki appears behind me. I turn around as fast as I could and with my swords stop her attack. Her six swords keep hitting my swords, but I couldn't stop her for long. Each time one of her swords hit mine, I feel weaker. My arm gets weaker every time she hits me. I can't protect Naoki. I take a quick look around and most of my teammates try to recover themselves and come to our aid, but it would be too late if I don't do something about it. I can't reach my mask and summon Kuma Lisa, she's stopping me. I run out of ideas... That's when I did a desperate move. I block one last time and as soon her six swords hit my swords, I push her away with all my strength. I summon Kuma Lisa as fast as possible, but I didn't attack her. "Take Naoki away!" I order and Kuma Lisa grabs Naoki and flies away. My eyes focus on my Persona and that was a mistake. I turn around to try and stop Misaki, but when I turn around I feel the cold metal going through me... She stabs me in the chest...

" **... What was your plan? You wanted to demonstrate something?** " She asks me while I look down at the sword that went through me. " **Or... Could it be that you were confused and didn't know what to do?** " She asks while the sword went deeper and deeper into my chest. The pain as too much for me to even comprehend. A lot of emotion and memories went through my head in that instant. Kuma Lisa disappears in mid-air and Naoki fall to the water. " **Oh, well... It doesn't matter. Protecting that weakling was a huge mistake for you... Good Night... Sinner** " When she said that word... " _Sinner_ "... I black butterfly fly between us and I could swear that it was laughing at me. Misaki takes out her sword and kicks me. I fall backward and I start to go deeper into the water... I was bleeding out and on top of that... Drowning... I couldn't even say a word, I was lost, I was confused, I was scared... Was I going to die?


	39. Her Human Side

**_Chapter 38: Her Human Side_**

Why am I the way I am? I always thought about it. Since I could remember, I always was in conflict with myself. I start hearing voices at a young age and I didn't understand what they were saying until the moment I start to question everything around me. Questions like: " _Why should I do this?_ " " _Why do I have to?_ " " _Why life is the way it is?_ " _"Why people act like this?"_ and " _Why is it bad to kill?_ " Really often my father yells at me for not doing what he wants me to do. I was always against him and that always end up in him yelling at me and comparing me with my twin brother, Naoki. He, unlike me, remain quiet. He does everything that my parents told him to do and they treat him better. Why? Because he mindlessly follows orders? Why I'm leaving aside? I just wanted to know " _Why_ ". No one could answer that question. No one could stop for a moment, look at me in the eyes and tell me why the world is the way it is. No, they just yell at me and say: " _Don't question us_ " " _Don't think about those stupid things_ " " _Focus and do as we told you_ ". I often feel like I don't belong anywhere, I feel so... Alone. The only one that stays with me was Naoki... But even him question me... " _Why are you like that?_ " He often asks me... " _To be honest, I don't know_ " That was my answer to him. I wasn't lying, I didn't know what I was doing. Why was I like that? My parents say " _go right_ " and I go left. I feel compelled to question then and do what I wanted to do... I feel like a prisoner, I wanted freedom. Freedom to do whatever I wanted to do, without any consequences. I wanted to run and face the world, to stand and yell at everyone and say "Screw this world! This emotionless, boring and wrecked world!" The voices inside my head become more clear and I most of them tell me the same thing... " _ **DO IT**_ ". That's what they want me to do and I was going to do it... But a voice, a voice raise and whisper to me... " ** _Don't..._** " It was a sweet voice, a little girl's voice... My own voice and when she said that, I stop. But I was getting tired of her... I shut her up and let myself lose for the first time...

Shortly after my parents die in an accident, I and Naoki were forced to live with a distant relative. An old man, the Director of a Police division or I don't know. He never says too much. He let us stay in his house, but he's never there. He never checks on us. He only sends us money and that's it. This kind of freedom... I hate it, but I like it at the same time. With no one to give me orders, I felt free... I feel bad about my parents, that was expected, but I quickly forgot about them, I forgot their faces, their voices and they eventually became part of my old memories that I can barely remember. The first time I hear my Shadow... I think it was the first time my hands were red, under a heavy rain... Next to that tree...

* * *

 **Yusuke's POV**

We got separated. I wasn't expecting Misaki to control those swords at will, to regenerate her arms and to be that strong. She was stronger than I was expecting. The water beneath us turn into ice and out of nowhere explode, we all got separate, but no so far away from each other. I feel the water falling on me as I try desperately to stand up. She broke my sword and I didn't have anything to rely on besides my Persona, Goemon. I feel the cold all over my body and I was having troubles to stand up. The explosion hit me hard and I shake my head in order to regain some sight and focus. I look up and saw Kagura summoning her Persona to help Naoki to stand up. Misaki appears behind her and before she could even react... She stabs her right in the chest. My eyes widen when I saw it happen... Not only I couldn't move in that moment, I felt a deep pain within me... Seeing her being stabbed was the worst thing I could witness in my life. Misaki takes out her sword from her chest and kicked her. Kagura falls into the water and disappear. She drowns in the water. I was speechless, confused, scared... Angry. I was angry. I couldn't hide that. I didn't want to hide that. Kagura... My teammate, my friend... The girl I saw every day when I wake up, the girl I live with... The girl I felt drawn to... She falls to her demise. I wasn't the only one that saw it happening. Everyone saw it, we all saw it happening... None of us could believe it. I stand up and, without any weapon with me, run toward Misaki. She saw me run toward her and simply grab me by the throat and push me against the water.

" **Why are you so angry?** " She asked me. " **Is it because I kill her?** "

"Y-You monster!" I yell at her.

" **It was her fault to protect Naoki... Now she's sleeping down there. Do you want to join her? Don't worry... You will soon enough** " Misaki raise all her swords and point them at my face. " **Sweet dreams** " She was about to kill me, but Dillinger throws himself at her and takes her off from me. Dillinger grabs Misaki's Shadow from the throat and hit her against the tree. Naoki was standing, with anger in his face. He raises his hand and commands Dillinger. Dillinger grabs her by the head and starts smashing her head against the tree, he then takes both of his pistols and points at her head. Before he could even shoot, Misaki cut both of his hands and Dillinger let out an inhuman roar, followed by Naoki's scream. Misaki grabs Dillinger and stab him with her sword, not only once, she stabs him multiple times until he disappears. That alone made Naoki fall to his knees and grab his head in pain.

"Naoki!" I yell. Misaki fly toward Naoki and was about to kill him, but all the Phantom Thieves summon their Personas and attack her at the same time. Makoto was the first on attacking. She summons Johanna and drives right at Misaki. Johanna starts to glow and throw Almighty Attack on her. Misaki dodges it, Arsene appears behind her with his fist ready to inflict Curse attack, just as the same time Zorro appear to her right ready to hit her with his blade and Carmen at her left about to burn her. Misaki gives a fast jump up and the Personas crash with each other.

"Shit!" Ryuji yelled. "Stop dodging you, Coward! You fucking murdered! Get back here!" Not only Ryuji was angry at her, but all of us, myself included.

"I won't forgive you what you just did," Said Makoto. "You kill my friend!"

"You better prepare yourself because I will burn you to death!" Ann yells with tears in her eyes.

"We will stop you... For her" Said Morgana.

" **Don't tell me you all are going to cry because I kill Kagura...** " Said Misaki as she floats in the air. Our attacks didn't have any effect on her. I notice that the only attacks that affect her are Physical, Light, Dark and Almighty. Only that, the fact that she's floating lead me to believe she has Gravity Skills, just like Kagura. " **Don't worry, you'll meet her again** " Misaki in mid-air let go of all her swords and raise her hands.

"What is she doing now?" Akira asks.

"I don't know, but we can't let our guard down," I said. "Let's finish this... Once and for all"

"I'm sorry for dragging you into this..." Said Naoki, looking down. "I will do everything I can to stop my sister"

" **Are you done talking?** " Misaki asks and electricity surround her hand. Reality distorts around her and a small purple sphere form in her hands. " **Megidoladyne...** " She whispers and the purple sphere grow bigger and bigger to the point it was bigger than all of us put together. It was the size of a small building.

"You can't be serious..." Said Ryuji. "YOU CAN'T BE FUCKING SERIOUS!"

"No way..." Ann couldn't believe her eyes.

"Dammit! We are not falling here!" Said Akira and prepare himself.

" _NO!_ " We hear the other Misaki yelling from her cell. " _DON'T DO IT! DON'T KILL THEM! PLEASE!_ "

" **Goodbye... Phantom Thieves...** " She smiles viciously as the sphere got bigger than before. She then throws it at us. As we saw the sphere hitting the water only a few meter from us, we find ourselves surrounded by a white light and for a moment I thought that it was our end. We all were hit by the immense explosion... We could feel a force drawing us to the sphere for a moment before the explosion wave hit us right in the face... But then something happened...

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

I was falling... Drowning... The blood came out of my chest as I saw the light fainting... I was closing my eyes slowly as I felt the cold of the water. My body was freezing, a lot of things came to my mind, a lot of then... About my mother, Makoto, and the Phantom Thieves... Oddly enough, I even start to wonder about my grandparents... and even my father... I don't want to... But knowing that I might be dead now... I regret some things... I regret a lot... I don't want it to end. I don't want to die here. I refuse... To die...

"I don't want to..."

I couldn't finish that sentence in my head. I end up closing my eyes and let the darkness surround me as I disappear, as I die. I wasn't ready to die, I didn't want to, I was too weak...

" _ **You are not weak**_ " I voice came from my head. It was too similar to mine. That makes me open my eyes a little and a weird sight happens in front of me... A Red Butterfly... The voice was sweet, but at the same time, I feel a weird feeling like this voice was hiding a terrifying true nature, a chaotic nature with twisted intentions... Despite that, the way she said that I was not weak makes me calm... But scared. A weird sensation that I couldn't explain.

"Kuma... Lisa...?" I ask and after a little silence, she responds.

" _ **No... I'm not her. I don't belong here either... But I'm a part of you, as one of your many masks**_ " She said. " ** _Kuma Lisa is your mask, the one that protects you and the mask that you show to the world now... But I'm the opposite... I'm the one you ignore but acknowledge. I'm your anger, your frustration, your despair, your fears, your negative thought, the worst aspect of you... The one that you keep deep within your soul and ignore because you are afraid to show to the world your true demons... I am your worst mask... But also the one that can save you_** " She explained while pausing very often. " ** _I'm... your last chance of survival... Do not fear me, because I won't hurt you... As a part of you, I will follow you until the end of times... Until you finally die and your soul goes back to the Sea of Souls, where it belongs_** "

"Another mask... Another... Persona?" I ask. "Just like... Akira"

" ** _Yes... Just close your eyes and ask for my strength. Beg me, wish for me to save you. Look deep down inside of you... And call me name...!_** " She yells the last part as I close my eyes and gather what little strength I had to focus and search for her... I found Kuma Lisa within me... She was not responding to me... She was in pain, just like I was... But next to her I saw a Shadow. A big Shadow with a weird silhouette. I look at her directly in the eyes and it was like watching a demon from the deeps of hell... I didn't know why... But I had a weird feeling... A feeling that I could trust her, despite her appearance... She was a part of me. I extend my hand and she grabs it... Gently...

"I am Thou... Thou art I..." I said out of nowhere. "You are... _The Forgotten Goddess..._ "

* * *

 **Naoki's POV**

Misaki throws us that giant purple sphere. I didn't know what to do. I was speechless and scared of seeing such destructive power in the palm of her hand. Why was she so powerful? I didn't understand that. It was like she was cheating or simply she just sees herself as someone nearly indestructible. The Phantom Thieves did their best to explain to me what the Palace are, how they work and the world itself. Maybe I'm wrong and maybe Misaki is this strong for another reason I can't comprehend, but it was useless to think about it now. We were going to die and there was nothing I could do about it. Nothing at all, I was weak... I fail to everyone... I bring them here to die... I'm a failure in the end... There's no hope left. The giant sphere touches the water and we were suddenly blinded by a white light followed by a huge explosion that might as well by an atom bomb because of how loud and how much of destructive power I could feel coming from it. I prepare myself to be hit by it, just like the others did. Just as the wave was about to hit us, I feel something around me... like a shield of some sort. I open my eyes and notice that I was inside a transparent sphere. The wave of the explosion hit me... But I didn't feel a thing. This sphere protects me. I look around and saw everyone else inside those spheres. As soon the explosion ended and the wave returns the water to its original place, the spheres disappear.

"Wh-What the...?" Ryuji asks. "A-Are we... A-Alive?" He touches himself. "Dude... What happen?!" He asks Akira who was as surprised as all of us.

"Someone... Protect us?" Ann asks and looks at Akira. "What did you do?"

"Nothing... I didn't summon a Persona" Said Akira. "None of my personas have that kind of ability"

" **You!** " Said Misaki as she landed on the water. " **WHY ARE YOU STILL ALIVE?!** " She yelled while spitting blood from her mouth. She wasn't talking to us... She wasn't even looking at us. She was looking behind us. We all turn around and saw Kagura standing up, her face facing the water, not looking up at all. Her mask had cracks on it. She still had blood on her, but instead of a hole in her chest, I could see a scar. I smile, I couldn't help but feel happy that she isn't dead, but she didn't look like to be happy at all... I understand that.

"Kagura!" Makoto yells and runs toward her, but Kagura raise her hand and Makoto stopped. Kagura walks slowly past her and us, slowly walking toward Misaki who was angry, full of rage that she wasn't waiting to let out at any moment. She clearly wants Kagura dead.

" **HOW?! HOW ARE YOU ALIVE?! YOU BITCH!** " She yelled and Kagura looks up. She saw her eye to eye.

"... Because I don't feel like dying... Just yet!" She said and punch Misaki right in the face, launching her several meters away from us. "I won't die! Not today... Not tomorrow... And definitely not here! I will stop you once and for all!" Misaki stands up and raises her hands. Her swords come back to her.

" **Oh yeah... Who and what army?** "

"My army... The Phantom Thieves... And a new ally!" She yells and her mask repair itself. "Come!" She rips out her mask and to my, and everyone's, surprise she didn't summon Kuma Lisa... But another Persona entirely. She was a little bigger than Kuma Lisa. Her Persona was a woman, half Human, half Elk. She wasn't wearing anything on top of her, a black fur covers her chest and some ribs came out of her like they were some kind of teeth. She had a really long brown hair, two elk black horns. A Red mask covers her face, just like Kagura's mask, only red. In the bottom half of her body, she had the legs of an elk and nothing was covering her except for the black fur. Her arms were made out of woods and she had huge spines in them, with huge claws at the end of her fingers. That strange Persona let out an inhuman roar that resembles Kagura's voice if she was a monster. Her Persona takes a step forward, wanting to start the battle once and for all. "It's all yours... _**Yhoundeh**_ " She said her Persona's name that she jumps out at Misaki with a speed so ridiculously fast that before we could even blink, she was already in front of Misaki. Misaki couldn't react properly. Yhoundeh swings her claws and shatters Misaki's swords. She then proceeds to stab Misaki repeatedly with her claws and eventually launching her against the tree, destroying it in the process and opening the cell of the little Misaki. Yhoundeh roar and hit the water. Kagura glows red, just like we all did. In that moment I felt more powerful and any kind of fatigue or tiredness disappear completely.

Kagura, without losing any more time, run toward Misaki's Shadow with Yhoundeh following her close behind. We were all speechless for what we just saw but decided to ask questions later. We had the advantage. It was better for us not to lose it now. We arrive at the tree and found Misaki struggling to stand up. She was regenerating, but at a slower pace. She had her back broken, her chest stabbed multiple times and her arms didn't respond. She curses and yells in frustration. Kagura gets closer to her and saw one of the broker swords next to her. She grabs it and points at her with it. Misaki stares at her with hatred.

" **... YOU THINK... YOU WON...?** " She asks. " **DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU WON?! YOU PIECES OF SHIT!** " She loses it and yells at us. " **I WON'T BE DEFEATED BY SOME MAGICAL PLOT DEVICE BULLSHIT THAT YOU PULL OUT OF YOUR FUCKING ASS! I REFUSE TO BE DEFEATED LIKE THIS!** " She stands up, but her legs give away and turn into black goo, her eyes widen when she notices a shocking truth... She was returning to her normal form. " **He... Hehehe... What a... Lame joke I turned out to be...** " She looks away from us and saw the little Misaki hiding from the remainings of the tree. " **I see... I lost... Because the cell broke and you... Are opposing to me... Forcing me, to change back... You bitch** " Misaki turn into black goo and from it reappear, but as her normal Shadow form.

"We... won?" Ryuji asks. "Wait. I don't get it!"

" _I'm free,_ " Said the little Misaki and we turn to see her. " _You free me... And now, I can oppose her. I can finally keep her at bay_ " She explained.

"Wait... Who are you exactly?" Makoto asks.

" _I'm Misaki... Her dreams, her hopes... the part of her that she wishes to ignore. The part of her that wants to play by the rules. The part of her that wants to be part of the world and society. The part of her that loved her parents... And Naoki. She's my dark self... My Shadow... And the other part using my body is also part of my Shadow... But given form and becoming a personality on its own... I had a lot of voices in my head, each one of them was a part of me that acted differently and they all wanted to control the body, but in the end, only the dark part of me won... And I'm what's left of Misaki's morals_ "

"I see" Said Morgana. "You born with a mental issue, Multiple personality disorder"

"So we weren't that wrong" Said Akira.

"So... what now?" Ann asks and looks at the Shadow struggling to stand up. There were chains forming in her arms. "What is going to happen to her? To you? And the other Misaki in the real world?"

" _We are going to merge_ " She simply said. " _Thanks to you... She's weaker. The damage she received make her weaker and on top of that, my cell was destroyed. So I can finally merge and be one individual... I can finally be... Normal_ " She said with a smile.

" **Haha... hahaha..." The Shadow laugh. "Don't cry... You weakling. We both know what is expecting us in the real world and yet... You want this to happen? You'll be locked up for what we did and maybe even worst. You'll be free on the inside but on the outside... Hahaha, you'll spend the rest of your miserable life in a cell!** "

" _I'm okay with it..._ " Said the little Misaki and that took me by surprise.

" **Ah?** " Ask the Shadow. " **You have to be fucking kidding me, you piece of shit! You'll atone for crimes that you didn't even commit! What awaits you in the real world is suffering from a corrupted system... Why would you do that?** "

" _Because... It's the right thing to do... We are the same person, are we not?_ " She asks with the sweetest smile I have ever since. A smile I never imagine to see in my sister at all. "Technically... I kill those persons" The Shadow look down and yell in frustration.

" **DON'T FUCK WITH ME, YOU PIECE OF SHIT! I REFUSE TO DISAPPEAR JUST LIKE THAT! I DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE DARK! I WANT TO BE FREE, TO BE UNCHAINED, TO FEEL ALIVE. I WANT FREEDOM, THE FREEDOM TO DO WHATEVER I WANT, WHENEVER I WANT... I WANT EVERYTHING... WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY DO I HAVE TO DISAPPEAR? WHY DO I HAVE TO MERGE WITH A WEAKLING LIKE YOU?! I RATHER DIE BEFORE ATONING FOR WHAT I DID! I DON'T REGRET A SINGLE THING AND IF I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY I'LL DO IT AGAIN!** "

" _I know... but that's not for you to decided now, isn't it?_ " The little Misaki asks and walks toward the Shadow. " _Now... I believe you had a bet with them... Will you tell them what you promise to tell them?_ "

" **... Fuck you... All of you...** " The Shadow stare at Kagura and reluctantly give them the information she promises. **"A man... In black suit came to the Palace... He was the one to allow me the power to change places with the other Misaki... And... It seems he was really interested in all of you... You in particular... Kagura Kobayashi. He even says your full name... And call you a " _Sinner_ ". He also says that soon enough, you will cross path with him and when that happens... I don't know, he went on and on about Chaos and Humanity being useless rats**" Said the Shadow and that raise more questions than anything. " **That damn Butterfly...** " She whispers the last part, but I think Kagura hear it.

"A man in a black suit? A butterfly?" Kagura asks. "I don't know who are you talking about"

" **His name, he gives me his name... But I'm not going to tell you** " The Shadow smile. " **Someone like you doesn't deserve information...** " The Shadow looks to her right and saw the Treasure laying in what remains of the tree. " **Fuck... I can't even move** " Kagura walk to the Treasure and grab it. She then gives it to me.

"You should have it" She said and I look at the little Misaki. She smiles at me as an approval.

"Thanks... So this is it? We won?" I ask.

" _In a way..._ " Said the little Misaki. " _There's still one thing I want you to do for me..._ "

"What is it Misaki?" I ask as I kneel in front of her to see her right in the eyes.

" _When you come back... The Misaki you'll meet is not me, so you won't remember that any of this happen. She will definitely feel horrible, scared and confused. I want you to guide her and show her the right way... And Promise me to visit me... Wherever I end up, promise to visit me, Naoki_ " She said with tears in her eyes. " _I don't want to be alone_ "

"I will, Misaki... I will" He said and hug her. Misaki hugs him back and slowly fades away, just like the Shadow.

" _Time for us to leave... See you all... On the other side_ " Misaki disappear completely. The Shadow stare at us with hatred, but a smile appears on her before disappearing.

" **You put a good fight, Fuckers... Be happy about it... Let's see how you do... Against a God...** " She said and finally disappear. The silence that came shortly after that was interrupted by the Palace itself that was falling apart quickly. We didn't wait for any second and run away from the Palace. We escape seconds before the whole place falls on itself and nothing remains of it...

* * *

 ** _Misaki's Shadow was a tough foe, also a little difficult to write. It might fall a little short, but in the story will cause an impact, one way or the other. From the point forward the fanfic will change some things, the main story will remain, but with some changes, just like Haru already having the app, that will have some unexpected effects. Just like Yusuke said, Misaki's Shadow was immune to almost every attack except physical, dark, light and Almighty. The reason behind this is because she sees herself in this world as an absolute ruler that cannot be defeated, she's immune to magic, but the other skills hurt her because while she sees herself as undefeatable, the other Misaki's contribute to her set of skills, abilities and weak points. Misaki's Shadow and Naoki's Persona are opposite. While Misaki is immune to those abilities and can receive damage from the rest, Dillinger can't. Dillinger is strong and immune to Physical, dark, light and Almighty, but weak to ice and he receives damage from the rest of the skills._**

 ** _Also, Naoki will have more time in the story too because I will show his character development. You all have an idea of what kind of person he is at this point and I want to write him right. Of course, he will have a Confidant._**

 ** _Kagura's new Persona... Look it up :D You'll get a nice surprise_**

 ** _If you like my video, please like and suscribe... Oh wait... I mean, leave a Review XD_**


	40. A Painful Regret

_**Chapter 39: A Painful Regret**_

 **Akira's POV**

I came back to the real world. The moment we step in, we all felt tired. It was a hard fight, one that ended abruptly but at our favor. If Kagura's new Persona didn't show up... We might be dead by now. I was surprised to see such a beast... But why she summon something like that? Is she also a Wild Card? Or there's something more? Does she know about the Velvet Room, Igor, and those twins? If that's the case I won't be surprised, because she got the Metaverse app from someone. She has to know something. I take out my phone and confirm that the Palace disappear.

"The destination has been deleted," Said the Metaverse Navigator.

"We... did it?" Naoki asks with surprise.

"Yes... We did it" Said Ryuji. "Man, she was so frickin' hard!"

"Forget about it. We won" Said Ann and look at Kagura. She grabs her head in pain. "Kagura... Are you alright?" We all stare at her, waiting for her response.

"... No" She simply said. "I feel like a truck hit me. Everything hurts, my head, my body, everything" Makoto walk to her and hug her. "Huh?"

"I thought... You were dead" She said while tears came out of her eyes. "You scared me so much. I thought we lose you. Don't do that to me ever again"

"I'm sorry... I'm fine, Makoto. Just... Let's leave the hug for later. My whole body hurts"

"Yeah... I'm glad you are fine. But you worried me so much" She keeps hugging her and Kagura return the hug.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry" She said and Ann hugs her too. "... Why are you hugging me too?"

"Shut up! I was worried as hell! It was too much for me to see you die!" She yelled. Yusuke gets closer to them.

"... You worried me" He said with sadness. "I don't know what I would have done if you died..."

"If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have received that attack" Said Naoki. "I'm the one to blame for that"

"I'm not blaming you," Said Kagura. "We all were in disadvantage. You did the best you could"

"But..." Naoki wanted to say more, but Ryuji gives him a pat in the back.

"Stop worrying too much dude!" She smiles at him. "Be happy that we fulfill your request... We won and that's what matter" He said and look at Naoki's hand. He had a dirty box. "Is that the Treasure?" Naoki looks down and didn't notice the box until now. I didn't notice it either.

"Yeah... I think it is... Does that mean that the change of heart going to happen soon?"

"That depends... Do you want to check on her? I... wouldn't recommend it though" Morgana ask and Naoki stare at the door of his house. He gulps and walks toward the door with the box in hand. He stays there for a couple of seconds before reaching for the door and opens it. I follow him in case something would happen, Ryuji came with us too. As soon we enter, we saw Misaki sitting in the couch of the living room, staring at the wall.

"Misaki?" He asks and Misaki turns to him. Her eyes stare directly at his and tears came out of her eyes. "Are you alright?"

"Naoki...?" She asks. "... What... Is wrong with me?" She stands up and her hands were shaking. "Please... Tell me I didn't do it... Tell me... It was a nightmare..." She said between sobs and grab Naoki by his shoulders. "I didn't kill those peoples, did I?" Naoki look down, he wanted to say the truth, but seeing her sister in that state was hard. He didn't want to hurt her any further, but he had to tell the truth. Misaki was about to break, I could see it. She was shaking, all her body was shaking so much and it worries me that she could faint or something.

"S-S-Sorry, Misaki..." He said and cry a little in front of her. That makes her cry too. "I'm so sorry... But it's the truth... You did"

"No... Why?" She asks and falls to her knees. "Why did I do that?" She covers her face and starts crying. "Why did I do it?!" She yells and hugs Naoki, he hugs her back. "Am I... A bad person?"

"No, you are not, Misaki" Said Naoki while hugging her. "It's just... You have a problem... But we can fix it..."

"No... It can't... But I can... Atone for what I did"

"Yes... Yes, you can... Let's go. We'll take you there...

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

Shortly after Naoki takes Misaki to the police station he stays there with her so he can answer some of the police questions. We decided to take a well deserved rest. Each one of us goes back home to rest and tomorrow we'll reunite to discuss and ask Naoki what happen in the Police Station. We all were tired, especially me. I just got stabbed, almost drown and on top of that I almost die if it wasn't for my new Persona... But I start to wonder, Do I have the same power and Akira? Can I summon other Personas? If I can, how do this works? To be honest, I don't know and when I summon Yhoundeh, I felt more powerful. More... lighter, in a way. After we all say our goodbyes, me and Yusuke go right to my apartment and as soon we enter, my knees give up and I fall to the floor. I use my hands to support myself and luckily my face didn't hit the ground.

"Kagura!" Yusuke helps me to get up. "What happen?!"

"I'm tired... I barely can walk now" I said and let him help me. "Take me to my room. I need to rest"

"I think you should go see a doctor" Yusuke look at my chest. "Misaki almost kill you and..."

"Don't worry about that... I'm okay, Yusuke... Please, help me a little" Yusuke help me, he walked me to my room and I let myself go and fall to my bed. "Thanks... What a day..." I said and notice that Yusuke stay there, looking at me with sadness.

"... Kagura. Can we talk?" He asks me and I simply nodded. "Today... When I saw you... When Misaki stabbed you... I was scared and... It was the first time I felt this scared. The fear of losing someone close to me..." He said and I avoid looking at him. "It was too much for me to bare... I... I don't want you to get hurt. I don't want something bad to happen to you. I wanted to do something about it, but even when I run to attack Misaki I was useless..."

"Yusuke... You are not useless" I said. "We all were pretty much useless..." I close my eyes for a moment. "Yusuke... Can I completely honest with you?"

"Of course you can"

"Well, I really want to take this out so... When Misaki stab me and I was drowning... I start to think about a lot of things like: "What if I die now?" "What would happen if I die?" "Where will I end up?" "What will happen to mom, to the Phantom Thieves... and you?" I start to think about all those things and about how much I'll regret all the things I didn't have the chance to do. I... Didn't want to die yet. I got desperate and start to beg... I never felt that scared in my whole life, to take a look at my life and realize that if I die now... Everything that I worked so hard for, everything that I care about, will disappear and all my efforts will be for nothing" I look down and avoid looking at Yusuke. I didn't want to admit it, but I felt the urge to say it. I didn't want to cry, but I end up crying, not that much.

"Kagura..."

"I want to do a lot of things in my life, Yusuke. I want to travel, to see things that I have never seen, to experience, to live to the very end... To enjoy life, and even leave a mark, leave something behind to show the world that I did something. And this... Near-death experience helps me to realize how much of a bitch I can be sometimes, how close can I be and how much I push people away... But not any more" I look at Yusuke in the eyes. "Starting today... I'm going to change that..." I stand up, despite the pain in my body. "Yusuke... I'm sorry... for being a little violent sometimes. For me, you can stay all the time you need to and... I will let you paint me, but definitely not nude. I'm still pretty much against that"

"Really?" Yusuke's eyes widen and I smile at him. "Th-Thanks, I don't know what to say... And what you are telling me, I think is nice of you, but you shouldn't push yourself to do it if you don't want to. I want you to feel comfortable..." Yusuke sigh. "I'm still worried about what just happen in the Metaverse. How you almost die. I can't stop thinking about that. That scene play itself again and again in my mind, from this point forward we should be more careful. I don't want to lose anyone... Especially you. I don't know what I would do... Or say to your mother"

"You are right, we should be careful from now on and there's always a chance that we fail and even a greater chance that one might get badly hurt or even die if we are not careful, but we do it because is the right thing to do. Thanks for worrying, but it's too much. I'm fine now Yusuke and to be honest... I feel like sometimes I give you a hard time, so I'll let you do the painting, with some limitations, of course" I said and let out a sigh while I sit back in my bed. "Now, for some reason, I feel... Lighter. I feel like, I just let go of a weight I've been carrying for a long time... Thanks for hearing me out"

"I'm glad to hear... And I'm happy that you are safe"

"Thanks..." I touch my chest, where the new scar is. "To think... I have another scar... Dammit"

"... Kagura..."

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you about... That scar?"

"The scar you discover when you fall on top of me?" I ask and he nodded. "Well... It's not pretty to remember. Actually, it's something I promise myself to keep as a secret, but it was inevitable" I look up. "Yusuke... None of us is a saint. Everyone has done something that is not proud of and even regrets... For me there's a lot. Including this. This scar was the result of a bad decision"

"What happen?" He asks and sits down next to me.

"Two years ago, I was coming back home and it was already late. I stay with Makoto in her house, we were studying for the exams that we had next week. I was almost running to catch the next train and to be there in time, I take a shortcut... Big mistake on my part. I wasn't even thinking. I run through an alley and then it happens..."

* * *

 _Kagura was running through the streets of Shibuya, she was stumbling into a lot of people while watching her watch every minute it pass. She was going to lose the next train and if she does, she will have to walk. To catch it in time, she takes shortcuts through the alleys. She gets out of the crowd and runs as fast as she could. She was going to make it if she keeps running and didn't stop for anything. She saw the subway at the end of the street. She smiles with relief and takes a deep breath, she was about to run again toward the entrance, but a hand grabs her from the entrance of the alley. The hand grabs her by the arm and another hand covers her mouth as they drag her to the alley. A man grabs her take her with her. She couldn't see the man, but she tries to break free. The man push her against the wall when they were in the darkest part of the alley. The man takes out a knife from his pocket and put it next to Kagura's face._

 _"Quiet," He said. "Give me everything you have and I will let you go unharmed" He threatened her. Kagura was shaking, her hands were sweating and her eyes focus on the knife next to her face. She was barely hearing the man talking. "Didn't you hear me?! Give me your bag and wallet. Give me everything you have on you!" She was in the real world now, she knew that if she resists then there was a chance that she will get hurt or worst. She wasn't in the Metaverse where she could simply treat a wound and it will fade away easily, no, she was in the real world where if she gets stabbed or shot, she will die. There was no turning back from that. She was scared now and in some way, she wishes she was in the Metaverse where she could easily turn around the table to her favor._

 _"N-No," She said without thinking it twice. "L-Let me go" She didn't want to resist the robbery, but subconsciously she treats this situation as a problem she could get out easily. The truth was that she couldn't._

 _"What did you just say?" He asks and he takes a quick look at the outside to see if there was a cop around. In that instant, Kagura's body moves on her own and push the man away. She saw the street and run toward it, but she was too tired of running and just after two steps she falls to her knees. The man then grabs her by the hair and push her to the ground. He was on top of her trying to put her down but Kagura tries to defend herself, of course, he was stronger than her. "Cooperate or you want me to kill you?!" He yells out loud, but Kagura still fights back. The man grabs Kagura's bag and she tries to stop him from stealing it away from her._

 _"No!" She yells. "You won't take it away from me! No one steal from me!" The man, without thinking it twice, gets closer to her and stab her in the abdomen. Kagura let go of the bag and the man falls to the ground with the bag in her hands. Kagura looks down and saw the knife in her abdomen. Her hands were shaking as the reach for the Knife._

 _"You should've just given me the bag and the fucking money, Kid," He said and punch Kagura in the face. She falls to the ground and he decided to leave when another man appears near the alley. He saw Kagura on the ground and the man taking her bag._

 _"Hey! What the hell have you done to her?!" He yells with anger. "You bastard!" Kagura looks up and saw the man entering the alley._

 _"Give me a break, old man!" Said the Thief and try to run past the man but he grabs him by mere luck and tries to stop him, but he wasn't strong enough and The Thief ends up grabbing him by the collar and pushing him against the wall. He takes out another knife. "This could've been easier if that bitch simply gives me her stuff!"_

 _"You bastard! Let me go!" He yelled and look past him. Kagura saw him in danger, he was going to kill the man. She didn't know him, but she wanted to stop the Thief. She put him in danger... She stands up, her whole body shaking. Her hands were grabbing the knife. She takes a deep breath and takes it out. As soon she did that, she runs to the thief and stabs him in the back. The Thief lets go of the man and push Kagura away. She falls to the ground with the knife still in hand._

 _"You bitch!" The Thief scream and take his knife was about to stab Kagura again, but because of the wound in his back, he stumbles and falls on top of her. Kagura, without thinking, raises her hands to defend herself, not knowing that the knife was still in her hand. When the Thief falls on top of her, he landed on top of the knife and Kagura by accident stab him in the chest. "Huh...?" The Thief couldn't believe what he was seeing, that was the last thing he ever saw, his own knife in his chest. He falls next to Kagura and she starts to feel the pain in her abdomen again, but this time much worse than before. She yells in pain and the man come to help her._

 _"Shit, shit, shit!" He said. "Don't cry, Kid! Don't close your eyes! Stay with me!" He yells and take out his phone and call an ambulance as soon as possible. Kagura starts closing her eyes because of the pain. "No! Don't do it! Help is coming!" She couldn't hear him anymore..._

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

"After that, I wake up in the hospital, my mom was next to me and told that I slept for almost three days. The doctors told me that the knife didn't touch any vital organs, but I had to recover. I spend a month in the hospital" I made a pause. "The man that stab me... Died... I kill him" I look at Yusuke and he wasn't looking at me. For a moment I thought that he was going to say something awful, but instead, he remains quiet.

"So that's why you had the scar... It was self-defense" He said.

"That's what the police write down in the record, but I still feel awful about it... It was an accident. I didn't want to kill him. That's the last thing I wanted to happen. But I got angry and my body moves on its own. Before I even notice it, he had the knife in his chest"

"What about the man that call the ambulance?"

"He told the police everything and that's why the police didn't even bother to ask me any questions in the moment I wake up, they left me alone to recover and when I get out the start to question me. My answers were the same as his, so the police close the case as a self-defense act. No one even bother about the thief, he didn't have any family so he was quickly forgotten... But I didn't forget him. I still thinking that... I should do something, I kill a man and I'm walking free like nothing ever happened, but deep down inside I can't stop thinking about it. I got more desperate to find Palaces and change people's heart as a way to atone for that, the man stabs me, sure, but I resist and pay the price. Taking a life... Is not easy, you feel the weight. You feel that weird sensation deep in your soul, you feel like part of you just broke apart and lose something precious... You lose part of yourself. Life is precious, even if the man was an asshole, everyone deserves at least a chance of redemption"

"Yes... When I get angry at Madarame for what he did to my mother... I wanted him dead, but I knew that if I cross that line, I wouldn't be better than him... That wouldn't make me happy, that won't bring my mother back from the dead. Killing a man is not easy, you'll have to carry that weight for the rest of your life... Even if it was an accident" Yusuke grab my hands. "Kagura, you did what you could. You are alive and save a man's life. It was an accident, but you are here now and regret what you did to him. If you were a murderer, you wouldn't be sorry for what you did. This shows that you are someone that cares too much about people, even if you hide it behind a mask... Or two. Thanks for telling me that, it was brave of you"

"No... Thanks to you... For hearing me out" I said with little tears in my eyes.

"Don't cry"

"Sorry..."

"Still, that was quite the story. So, what happened to the man you save?"

"Oh, him... He just was passing by, buying ingredients to make curry... After that, I visit him often with my mother in the Cafe he open not that long ago in Yongen and became regular clients" I said with a smile and Yusuke's eyes widen.

"Wait... You save Sakura's life?!"

"Yes," I said with a little laugh. I laugh at his expression. "I wasn't expecting things to end up like this actually. We didn't talk about this anymore and make sure to never mention it again because it was a bad moment none of us wanted to remember. Still, he was grateful for what I did for him, just like I'm grateful for him to come and try to save me and stop that man"

"I think the world needs more people like him. It may not look like it, but he's a nice man... Does someone else knows what happen to you?"

"Besides mom and Sojiro, yes. I had to tell Makoto about it. I mean, she visits me in the hospital almost every day. We try not to bring the subject and make sure to don't mention it again"

"I see... It's good to have a friend that will stay with you, no matter what and help you in everything you need" Shortly after that, me and Yusuke keep talking about a lot of things. I couldn't recall the time I felt this good before. I start to truly enjoy his company, to having him around was not only nice, but I felt like I could talk to him and tell him a lot of things that I couldn't tell someone else, except for Makoto. That day mother stays for dinner and we had a nice, calm dinner. She notices me differently and even asks me what happen. She notices that I start talking more and I just told her that I was happy. She just shrugs and plays along. I still felt tired and my body still hurt, but by the time the next day comes, I was better than ever.

* * *

 ** _7/4 Monday_**

We gather this time in Akira's room. Sojiro let us stay there and wait for Naoki to arrive. He arrives shortly with the Treasure in hand. We all sit calmly at the table and turn on the TV as Naoki told us to do. There we saw the Newscaster talking and then they show Misaki being taking by the police.

" _Yesterday around mid-day, Misaki Hanazawa a student of Shujin Academy turn herself in and confess to be responsible of brutally killing two students and a police officer. She confesses and regrets her actions and to everyone's surprise in the force, she thanks the Phantom Thieves for changing her heart. In the beginning, they thought it was a joke, but shortly after they discover a Calling Card in her house. The police also interrogate her twin brother and he supports Misaki's testimony and declares himself to be a victim of his sister's abuse. Meanwhile, their legal guardian, a Superintendent Supervisor of the Police is under investigation because of his negligence and..._ "

"So... It's over?" Ryuji asks with a big smile.

"Yes, it is" Said Naoki. "Thanks to all of you. Thank you all!" Naoki bow to us.

"Hey, stop that!" Ryuji yell. "It makes me feel weird"

"Sorry, it's just... I feel happy, but worried too"

"Why worried?" Ann asks.

"Of course, my guardian is going to have a hard time and I think that I might be moved to a better house. I don't have any relative around, so they might drop me with the less awful person if I'm lucky" He explained.

"Did they tell you something about it?" Makoto asks.

"Not yet, it depends what'll happen to my guardian. But if I'm lucky enough, I might start living on my own"

"Why's that?" Ryuji asks.

"I still have my parent's money that I never use, I have a part-time job and I can take care of myself... For the most part. Too bad Shujin Academy doesn't have any dorms I could borrow..."

"Hmm..." Yusuke thinks about something and I knew that he'll come up with a weird idea. One that I'll decline right away. "What if you stay in with one of us? I think is fair"

"... Excuse me?" Ann was shocked

"Have you lost your mind dude?" Ryuji asks

"No, I'll decline that" Said Naoki. "I'll tell you how things are going, just in case so you don't have to worry about me"

"Still, living alone is not uncommon lately," Said Makoto. "There are students that live on their own, but a relative send them money. I can see you living alone, you look like a really responsible boy... Unlike someone I know," She looks at Ryuji.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Anyway, if you need anything, call me," Said Akira. "We should exchange numbers"

"Yes, you are one of us now" Said Ann.

"I... am?" Naoki asks, confused. "I'm really a Phantom Thief?"

"Well... If you want" I said and everyone looks at me. "I mean, you did a great job in the Metaverse and I think is up to you if you want to change people hearts or not"

"To be honest... I want a peaceful life... But wherever I go, I see people taking advantage of the weak. Adults running young lives, students bullying their classmates and even parents abusing their children. I want to change that... And if you tell me that we can make a difference, then count me in. I want to help and this will be my way of paying you all for the hell I made you go through"

"Don't worry, we are used to it at this point" Said Ryuji.

"Don't try to sound tough, Ryuji. You are not" Said Morgana.

"Says the cat"

"I'm not a CAT!"

"Here we go again..." I said.

"You wanna fight?!" Ryuji yell. "Bring it!"

"This will be quick!"

"... Is this normal?" Naoki asks.

"Yes..." We all answer his question, except Ryuji and Morgana that keep insulting each other instead of actually fighting.

"Oh, that's right. What's the Treasure?" Ann asks and that make Ryuji and Morgana stop. Naoki and place the box in the middle of the table.

"I think I know what's in the box... That's why I think we should throw it away" He said.

"Why is that?" Morgana ask. "Open it, we want to see"

"Yeah man, don't leave us guessing" Ryuji stand up and open the box.

"No!" Naoki yells but it was too late. He opens the box and jumps backward as soon he saw what was inside.

"Goddamit!" He yells. "Ugh, that's gross!"

"I told you to not open it!" Said Naoki. "Ugh..." I stand up and look at what was inside. It was a dead animal, a dog to be exact. Next to it was a knife cover in blood.

"Is this... What gave birth to her desires?" I ask.

"We... We used to have a dog... She kill it and buried it next to a tree in a park. After that, she started to act drastically different. I think... Killing our dog was what push her more to be the psychopath she was... I wanted to get some revenge for what she did, but I couldn't do anything. She was... Stronger than me and every time she could, she hurt me or threaten me to cut my fingers..." Naoki closes the box. "... I miss that dog..." We all remain silent.

"... You want us to give it a proper farewell?" Ann asks and Naoki smile at her.

"Thanks but... The real one is already buried... This is like... a copy of him, isn't it? I see no reason to do it... But..."

"It might be created by Misaki's cognition, but I think that at least it should be buried" Said Morgana. "We'll do it later"

"Thanks... Thanks for everything that you have done for me..." Naoki looks down and little tears came out of his eyes. He tries to hide them, but he fails.

"No problem," Said Ryuji. "Don't cry over this"

"Sorry... I'm too emotional sometimes"

"Well, now that we finish this, I think we deserve a rest" Said Ann and stand up. "What do you say we celebrate with sushi?"

"... Ann, while you all were talking. The television announces that Shujin is going to open again tomorrow. Exams are just around the corner and I think we should focus on that right now" Said Makoto and I was with her.

"Yes, first exams, the Celebration can wait," I said.

"Ugh... Why?" Said Ryuji.

"We have vacations after that, so... Be happy, I guess" I said.

"Shut up!"

* * *

 _Sae looks at the papers she had in front of her and look at Kagura. "So after that, Naoki took Misaki to the police station. There she confesses everything she had done and even admit to have challenged the Phantom Thieves and said she knew who they were, but decided not to say a single word... She said things like: "They save me so it's not fair from me to say the name of my saviors to the people that is trying to catch them" between other sentences that resemble this one. What surprised me the most was not Misaki's confession, but her relationship with a_ _Superintendent Supervisor of the Police_ _. He was her guardian, yet he neglected his duty as such because of his involvement in multiple cases at the same time. He didn't leave his office or went home. He was a busy man and no one in the force actually question him, still... Some of them blame him for her behavior, even myself. But all that stopped when Misaki was diagnosed with Multiple Personality Disorder and when was confirmed that Misaki had this issue since childhood, people focus more on blaming Misaki's mental issue than the Superintendent's_ _negligence. Still, he lost his position and Naoki Hanazawa was giving the chance to move, which he did and now he's living on his own... He became your neighbor._ _Misaki, on the other hand, instead of being thrown at the Juvenile Hall, she was put in a mental hospital... Maybe for the rest of her life, even if she gets better and get out of there, she'll most likely be put in jail. Misaki, while she does have a mental issue, is not the one to blame directly. She needed people to remind her how the world works and to draw a line when it was necessary"_

 _"That man didn't care about her. He should have the worst punishment, but it's okay. He is marked now as an asshole" Said Kagura. "To be quite honest, I hate Misaki. But after hearing where she was ending up and all that we went through to change her heart... It makes me feel bad for her"_

 _"Sometimes one can understand a murdered reason's to kill... But when someone like Misaki appear in the picture, the line between good and evil, right and wrong became blurred" Sae close her eyes for a moment. "I do have a question... Misaki mentions a man in black suit and a "God". What did she mean by that?"_

 _"To be honest... I don't know. Maybe she was simply saying nonsense... But a Shadow can't lie... And that's something that is worrying me from a while now"_

 _"Alright. So... Leaving this twisted case aside, we now arrive to your next target. I stand corrected. It was they who targeted your group first, wasn't it?" She asks and takes out a green card from the files. "The identity of your next opponent... is this" She showed her a green card with the name Medjed. "We had no pictures. Even their names and identities are unknown. If what you told me is true, then this "Nav" thing you've mentioned wouldn't have worked in this case. How did you target them? Tell me everything"_

 _"Yes... "Them". It was a weird case.."_

* * *

 ** _You all know who's next :D Tell me what you think_**


	41. Fireworks Festival and Medjed

_**Long chapter for your entertainment :D Please enjoy it and leave a review. Also, I'll answer one of the reviews now that I'm here.**_

 _ **ReallyLazyReader:** Actually, I've been thinking about Naoki. Should he have a couple or be forever alone? XD and I think I come up with something. I won't spoil anything at all. And yes, Naoki is not the type of guys who stare at girls too much. He's too shy and tends to have low self-esteem from time to time, but that will change._

 ** _Now, enjoy the update and don't forget the review, it keeps me alive like the creepy vampire I am. Wait, was that a_** ** _rhyme?_**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 40: Fireworks Festival and Medjed**_

 _ **7/8 Friday**_

 **Akira's POV**

I was walking aimlessly in the hallways of the school. I didn't know what to do. I was planning on studying, but for some reason, I don't feel like study at all. I end up searching something to do, to kill time before going back home. Morgana was sleeping inside my bag so I walk carefully to not waking him up. My feet take me to the rooftop and I stare at the door for a moment. I end up opening the door and for my surprise, I found Haru taking care of some plants. She had a little personal garden on the rooftop. Haru didn't hear the door opening, she didn't notice me at all. I slowly walk toward her and saw her taking care of one of the plants with a lot of care.

"Nice garden you have here" I said and Haru jumps out, followed by a little scream. She turns around and wasn't expecting me at all. "Woah, calm down. It's me"

"Oh... S-Sorry. I didn't hear you enter. I was so focused I didn't notice you" She said, almost apologizing.

"Don't worry, I'm like a ghost. You'll never see me coming" I joked and Haru laugh a little.

"I notice that. We haven't that chance to speak for almost a week since... What happens here" Haru didn't want to bring the homicide or even talk about Misaki Hanazawa at all. Actually, no one in school wanted to even bring the conversation. I thought Kamoshida shake the school when he confesses, but Misaki not only shake it, she leaves her presence and everyone could feel the weight of the crimes she committed. It leaves a bad reputation to the school and now is often the target of gossips and journalists who want to know more details about Kamoshida and Misaki.

"Yes, it's something that I think is better left forgotten," I said. "Still, there's nothing we can do about it. What's done it's done and we can't change that"

"You're right. But... I wish there was something. Maybe it could've been avoided" Haru was dwelling on the past. "... At least... The Phantom Thieves did something about it. I'm glad they stop Kamoshida and Misaki"

"Are you a fan of them?" I ask with curiosity and Haru chuckle.

"Not really, but I'm interested in them" Haru walk to me. "Akira, now that you are here, you want to help me with the plants? After we are done we can... hang out... Maybe to the bookstore" Haru blush a little. Looks like she thinks this through. Maybe she just feels lonely and wants someone to talk, or maybe she was waiting for me to show up. I wanted to spend time with her too, to know her better and what happen last week was like a punch, we couldn't meet because of Misaki, but now there's nothing stopping this. I want to know Haru and what she's doing here is nice, I might give it a chance and maybe I'll learn something useful too. Every time I say her this close I feel like I'm watching an angel... Why I'm thinking that? Stop it for a moment! I smile at her and finally nodded.

"Sure, I'll help. But I warn you, I'm not that good with plants. I can barely take care of the one at home"

"Don't worry, I'll teach you. The secret is to be patient"

I and Haru talk about plants she has on the rooftop and the conversation eventually turn around and focus on random stuff. The conversation change subjects so fast that we didn't care, we were enjoying ourselves and I didn't felt this comfortable before. Talking with Haru remind me of an old friend, a friend I can tell everything, she's sometimes funny, caring, beautiful and the kindest person I have ever meet. She still has innocence, an innocence that the world doesn't deserve. She's too innocent... And I'm feeling the urge to protect that innocence. Why am I feeling this way about a girl that I only stare from afar and didn't talk to her until now? If my parents could see me now they'll say things like "You are in love" only to say something awful afterward like "Don't be stupid, love doesn't exist". They are those kinds of person, at this point I don't want anything to do with them and as the day progress, I'm feeling more comfortable here in Tokyo... I wish I could stay here for more than a year. I wish I could live here and not going back home with my parents that barely care about what I say. I shake those feelings off and I and Haru decided to hang out in Shibuya. I was enjoying her company too much. She even gives me her phone number, I didn't even ask for it, but she gives it to me anyway. It was late, so we leave and I could tell she was reluctant to leave, just like me...

* * *

 _ **7/10 Sunday**_

 **Kagura's POV**

I wake up earlier than usual and today it was supposed to be my day off, but Sojiro called me and told me to come. He wanted an "Extra pair of hands", meaning that he had Akira working too. I almost run to the Cafe and found a lot of people there today, more than usual, so I spend my day there helping him and Akira. We spend almost three hours there serving people and when they finally leave we felt relief. Akira start washing the dishes, I was serving coffee for the old couple that just arrives and Sojiro turn on the TV. He seems to be thinking about something. I finish serving the coffee and he talks to me.

"Kagura, check the ingredients in the fridge" He said.

"Is there something we might missing?" I ask.

"I hope not, I buy a lot of things yesterday, but today I had a weird feeling that I was missing something. I don't know if its the food or something else" He said and his cellphone ringed, he answers right away as soon he saw who was it. I didn't catch the name. "Hey, what's up?" He asks with a little smile. "Huh? It's not right? ...Not cute?"

"... Cute?" I asked while opening the fridge. I and Akira stop what we were doing and watch at Sojiro talking.

"That was the one the staff recommended to me though... Won't that printer do?" He asks nervously.

"Who is he talking too?" Akira ask me.

"I don't know"

"Huh? It'll do, but it's not it?" Sojiro seems more confuse. "Ok, I'll be right over" Sojiro sigh and hang up. "Kagura... This might take a while... I'm leaving the store to you. Lock up for me if I don't come back"

"Sure" I said and close the fridge. "Everything seems to be in place"

"Good. Just be careful"

"... Going on a date?" Akira asks out of nowhere.

"Pff, him? Don't be ridiculous... Are you?" I said and end up asking the same thing as Akira. I was curious, just like him, about that call.

"Something like that..." He said with another sigh. Looks like he didn't want to leave. "Sheesh, what a handful" He left shortly after. I stay with Akira for the rest of the day. There were no clients left, no one else come so we stay there watching TV.

"... I was thinking..." He said and I look at him. "I never asked you about that Persona you summon. It wasn't Kuma Lisa... How did you do it?" He asks me in a weird tone.

"I don't know" I simply respond. "She just... Talked to me and say she was one of my masks. To be honest, I didn't even know I could do that and that at this point I discover that power is really weird"

"So you don't know?"

"Yes, I don't know... What about you? How can you summon yours?" I ask and Akira wasn't expecting that question.

"Oh, well... I don't know either. They just... Pop out of my mind I guess" He was lying, I could tell, but I don't really care how he does it. If he's keeping it secret is because there's something that he doesn't want me to know for who knows what reason. I decided to stop asking, I'll know eventually. One way or the other.

"What a weird power to have..." I said. "Still, having another Persona might help us a lot"

"True..." Akira's phone ringed and he picks up. I could hear Ryuji's voice. He was as loud as always.

"Hey, it's me! Where you at? Whatcha doin'?" He asks, almost yelling.

"Working... Sort of" Said Akira. "I'm with Kagura in the Cafe. Sojiro left her in charge of the place"

"Gotcha! We're gonna come over right now about the you-know-what. Seeya!"

"The I-know-what?" He asks and Ryuji hangs up. "Wait, what? Hello?" Akira sighs. "Ryuji is coming"

"I hear him... Well, there's no customers so... We might as well close the store for today" I said and flip the sign in the door. Around twenty minutes later, Ryuji came in with the whole group, including Yusuke and Naoki. Just a couple of days ago Naoki moves to the building I live in. He is my neighbor now, he lives on the floor below me, but still.

"'Sup? We're here to hang out" Said Ryuji with his big smile.

"That's not why we're here! We need to study for finals!" Ann yells at him.

"At least we'll study together" Said Naoki. "It's kinda lonely to study alone at home. Too much silence"

"Why am I here too...?" Makoto asks. Looks like Ryuji force her to come.

"You're one of us, so of course you gotta help us. We're in trouble if you don't teach us, you know?" Said Ryuji.

"You could ask me if you need help" I said

"Or me" Said Naoki. "You know that I'm in the same grade as Kagura and Makoto right?"

"Yeah, but I wanted someone who's in the top ten"

"... I feel insulted, Ryuji" I said and Naoki sigh. "I was in first place in the last exams"

"Anyway... I couldn't ask the last time we were here" Said Makoto. "I know that Kagura is working here and I get that Akira is living in the attic... But why?"

"I was curious about that too" Said Naoki. "Did something happen?"

"Well, he's got complicated circumstances..." Said Ryuji. "We can tell them about it, right? Actually, tell them yourself. Better now than never"

"True..." Akira sit down and explain his circumstances to Makoto and Naoki. Once he was done Makoto was a little sad for him and Naoki was angry. The first time I saw him angry.

"That's awful" Said Naoki. "Not to mention unfair"

"That's terrible" Said Makoto.

"Ann, Yusuke and me are pretty much the same too. I mean, it's not as bad as this guy's though" Said Ryuji. "There's just something we can't ever put up with. That's why we all became Phantom Thieves"

"Hey, don't forget me!" Said Morgana.

"And me. I mean, I started the whole thing" I said.

"I know, I know. We're all part of the team. By the way, Makoto, ain't there someone you can't forgive either? Like, a heart you wanna change? I was about to ask you the same Naoki, but I think that your sister was the person who's heart you wanted to change" Said Ryuji

"... That's a secret" She said with a smile

"Ooh, there's someone like that? You could just tell us, you know. You don't gotta be so cold" Ryuji insist

"That aside, do you have any intention of studying for the exam?" Makoto and Ryuji shake his head.

"Not really..."

"It's fine if I leave then?" Makoto grabs her bag and was about to leave.

"N-No, I'm joking! Please teach us..." Ryuji almost begs her to stay. We gather on a table and start our study session. Of course, not all of us fit in one table so Akira, Ryuji, Ann and Makoto stay in one, while Me, Yusuke and Naoki were in the table next to them. Actually, I didn't want to study today, but it wouldn't hurt me to do it.

"Hmm, what was this term?" Ask Makoto. "It's "phobia," so it's a fear of some kind..." Makoto turns around and asks me. "Kagura, you remember what "agoraphobia" means?"

"It's the fear of open spaces" Naoki answers before I could even speak. "When it comes to phobias, I can name them all"

"Wow, Thank you"

"You're welcome," He said and put on his headphone.

"... Naoki, why the headphones?" I ask.

"I record the teachers so when I need to study I can listen to them again. It helps a lot" He explains. "I'm not as good as you though. I always end up in the top 20"

"Still, you commit to your studies," Said Yusuke. "That's a good thing"

"Ugh, even if we study English, it's not like I'm gonna use it in the future" Ryuji sigh

"When it comes to you, your Japanese is questionable too," Said Morgana

"Shut up!"

"Can you two be quiet?" I said. "If you start fighting here I'll kick you out"

"Explain the writer's feelings...? What point is there in that?" Ann asks

"It's impossible! I can't memorize all these formulas... Ain't there a good way of cheatin'?" Ryuji gives up.

"... I like our table" Said Naoki. "It almost makes me feel superior"

"I know what you mean. We don't have any trouble with our studies" I said with a huge smile. "Unlike SOMEONE who's giving up now"

"Now you are the one who's picking a fight with me!" Ryuji yells at me.

"... Why don't we take a break?" Makoto suggests and we take a really long break. We throw the study out the window and start watching TV.

" _... And that was the follow-up report on the suspect Kaneshiro_ " The news were on.

"I'm surprised they still talk about him" Said Ryuji.

"Well, his change of heart was what caught everyone by surprise. Misaki, on the other hand, was shown only twice and quickly forgotten" Said Makoto. "I think because of how gruesome were her actions"

"Yeah, people won't even show or talk about any of that on TV" I said. "That reminds me... Did you visit her, Naoki?"

"I'm going to see her tomorrow after school" He said. "I was busy lately"

" _Now, Akechi-san..._ " When the TV mention Akechi we all look at the screen. " _This case is said to be the result of the Phantom Thieves' actions. Just like the sudden change of heart of Misaki Hanazawa who take the lives of three innocent people, but in actuality, is this true?_ " Ask the reporter. Akechi appears on the screen.

" _Considering how a calling card was scattered about, I believe there's no mistaking that. The question is what the Phantom Thieves actually did. If they tampered with the suspects' heart, it cast doubt on the authenticity of any confession_ " Akechi explains.

" _So then, by tampering with hearts, the Phantom Thieves are fabricating crimes that may not exist?_ " Ask the reporter.

" _We can't deny the possibility. But considering that what Misaki did was, in fact, a horrendous crime, maybe it was an actual change of heart... Or maybe this girl couldn't handle the pressure herself and turn herself in, giving the Phantom Thieves a chance to take the credit for something they didn't even do_ "

"Asshole" I whisper. "What do you know?"

" _There's no doubt that the Phantom Thieves are exposing hidden injustices in society, just like they did with Madarame and Kamoshida. However, if this is done by sidestepping the law, their way of thinking is very dangerous_ "

" _So in a way, they're outlaws_ "

" _Yes. They're no different than the criminals they target. This cannot be overlooked_ "

" _I see..._ "

" _Oh I see,"_ my ass!" Ryuji yell. "Why the hell are we bein' treated as the bad guys?"

"Just let them say whatever they want" Said Ann. "More people are starting to understand that what we're doing is right, after all"

"When I'm walking around in town, I hear a lot more people talkin' about us too. And the forum's been full of hype! Do you think we made it big time?"

"Don't get too excited, Ryuji" I said.

"Still, let's find a big target. A huge target this time"

"And he's not listening to me at all" I whisper.

"We should think about it" Said Makoto. "To start searching for someone"

"I bet we'll find one in no time. The wind's blowin' in our direction and everything! I feel like we won't lose to anything right now"

"Just be saying that, you sign our doom" Said Akira.

"Well, we'll decide on a target later. We need to overcome our exams first" Makoto looks right at Ryuji's eyes. "Now then, break time's over! Let's get back to-"

"That reminds me! The celebration party. Weren't we gonna do it after exams?" Ryuji interrupts Makoto.

"Can you shut up for two seconds?" I ask

"Where should we go? I feel like I'll study better if I got something to look forward to"

"The last one was a buffet at a hotel. We haven't gone anywhere since" Said Morgana and Yusuke, who was focusing on his study, look up with sparkles in his eyes.

"Hm!? A buffet!?" He asks excitedly

"Calm down. We are not going back there anytime soon" I calm him down.

"Where would be good...?" Ann asks.

"Hey, what about fireworks!? A fireworks festival!" Ann suggest.

"Oh yeah, it's that season, huh!" Ryuji like the idea.

"That sounds good to me" Makoto also agree.

"A festival... It's been a while since I go to one" Said Akira. "Alright, let's go"

"It's hard to ignore a buffet, but I'll take the beauties of summer. Still, I demand that we feast during the festival as well" Said Yusuke.

"Sure, you'll have anything you want Yusuke" I said. "Alright, since everyone wants to, I'll go too"

"Me too" Say Naoki. "It's been a while and it'll be fun to go with friends"

"Do you guys own a yukata? Will you wear a yukata!?" Morgana asks with excitement.

"Of course I have one" Said Naoki and that caught us all by surprise. "I can't wait to show you how cool my yukata is"

"... Is that a joke?" Ryuji asks

"Nope. My yukata will blow your mind"

"... I wasn't asking you, Naoki" Said Morgana with disappointment.

"Morgana, I do own a yukata. But I won't wear it" I said.

"Why not?"

"I'm not used to wear it"

"Come on, use one for me" Said Morgana.

"No..."

"I can't wait for the Fireworks festival!" Said Ryuji.

"Study comes first, though. I won't let you off if you fail any of them. Are we clear?" Makoto threat Ryuji.

"Y-Yes, ma'am..."

"... Are you two a couple?" Naoki asks and both Ryuji and Makoto's eyes widen. "You two look kinda cute"

"We are not a couple!" Both of them yell at Naoki.

* * *

 _ **7/16 Saturday**_

Exams were finally over. To be honest, they were easier than I thought they will be. It wasn't a problem for me... I can't say the same thing for Ryuji and Ann when I saw them. We all gathered in Shibuya and I could tell who did it well and who didn't. Ryuji did awful, Ann not that much but still pretty bad, Akira was... Normal, I guess. It was hard to tell with that poker face of his. Makoto was happy, meaning that she answer correctly every single question. Naoki was a little nervous, looks like he did something wrong and he can't stop about that question it gives him troubles. Yusuke... He was okay. Maybe he didn't even have it that hard.

"Exams are finally over... I'm so exhausted..." Said Ann while almost collapsing.

"I can get back to actually sleepin' in peace..." Said Ryuji.

"Huh. You must have been studying pretty hard if it kept you up at night" Makoto smile at them.

"Nah, I was up playin' video games. Slackin' off is just too much fun..." Ryuji admit.

"I know, right!?" Said Ann. "I kept cleaning my room instead of studying! It might even be too clean now..."

"You two are perfect exemplars of what escapism can mean" Said Yusuke and look at Naoki who was having a crisis. "Are you alright, Naoki?"

"I knew the answer, but I completely forgot!" He yells. "I screw up so bad! I can't believe I forgot!"

"There, there" Akira pat him in the back. "We are all humans"

"And I can only imagine Ann and Ryuji's results will be" Makoto sigh.

"Whatever, it's over with now. Who cares about that anymore!?" Ryuji yells. "What's really important is the Phantom Thieves' popularity! Ain't it amazin'!?"

"It kinda feels like our time's finally here!" Said Ann.

"I have even heard people excitedly speculating about our next target. We will have to choose carefully" Yusuke advice.

"True, we can't just choose randomly" Said Naoki.

"There's no need to hurry. We should spend some time thinking it over" Said Makoto.

"Hold up, the most important thing now is our celebration party!" Ryuji said excitedly. "I hope you guys didn't forget, It's the fireworks festival on the 18th. I guess we're good meetin' up in Shibuya, yeah? Let's say... 5 pm!"

"You sure are on top of these kinds of things..." Said Morgana.

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

We all go separate ways and I stay in Shibuya for a moment. I take out my phone and search Haru's number. I send her a message and ask if she wants to go to the Firework festival. She answers right away and her answer was a little weird.

" _I'll love to, but... Something comes up... I don't know if I'll make it to the festival. Sorry_ " She writes and I reply.

" _It's alright. You can talk to me about anything_ " I send the message.

" _Thanks, Akira :3_ " She writes and I walk around Shibuya for a while before going back to the Cafe. To my surprise, I found Naoki staring at his cellphone. He was standing in the middle of the street, not paying attention to his surroundings. I walk to him and get his attention.

"Naoki, is something wrong?" I ask and he almost jump, he didn't notice me at all.

"Oh! Akira... No, there's nothing wrong. I was just seeing something... Thinking to myself and... I don't know" He seems nervous about something so I ask him that. "Nervous? You could say that... To be honest, I do have something in my mind that I can't get rid of"

"Is your sister?" I ask and looks like that was it. He went silent all of the sudden and sigh.

"In a way" Naoki put his cellphone in his pocket. "I might blame her for forgetting the answer to that question I was so desperate to answer" Naoki chuckle but didn't last long. He looked down like he wasn't in the mood to even be standing. "... Can we talk? I want to get this out of my chest"

"Sure, let's go somewhere else" We went to Big Bang Burger, the nearest place we had and once inside I saw Naoki more calmed. We sit down and order something to drink. Naoki looks at his water for a moment before talking to me.

"Akira... This might sound like a weird thing to say but... I miss Misaki. Not the Psycho one, just to be clear"

"Yeah, I figured that out" I drink my water. "It must be tough. I don't know how you are holding up... On top of that, you are living alone now"

"Yes, my guardian... Well, he's not my guardian anymore. He's under police investigation and they found a distant relative, but he's living in China. He agreed to send me money so I can live on my own and now that I'm there... I feel alone like something is missing. It doesn't help that when I went to visit Misaki she talk to me so... Nicely, like she was happy and doesn't even care about the situation she's in. She changes and... I... feel awful. I feel like I condemn her there for the rest of her life"

"You feel guilty"

"Exactly, but not only that... Living alone was never a plan, I hate being by myself. I feel like I'm the only person in the world and... I don't know how to deal with that. I like spending time with you and the others, but when we separate I feel that loneliness again striking me. I don't want that... To feel... empty and blaming myself for what happened to Misaki. I'm done with that, I want to change"

"Everyone hates being alone and talk by experience. But shouldn't feel like that. Even if you are alone at home, there are people that care about you. We, the whole group, care about you. We help you, not because it was an obligation, but because we want to help people who need us, people that can't fight back. You are one of us now and you won't be alone anymore. We protect each other and help each other. If you feel like that, talk to me or speak up to the group, don't be quiet about it. Just let it out. When I see you, I see a shy boy who fears being alone and speaks up, but you are like that because of Misaki, she chains you down and now that you are free... You feel lost. You were used to being closed up and now the world scares you... Am I wrong?" I say what I thought might be Naoki's problem. I'm not a psychologist, but I think that was the problem. Naoki must break out of his shell, just like he did in the metaverse. I notice that he acts differently in the real world and the Metaverse. He's retraining here, but let himself go in the Metaverse.

"... Yes, I feel somehow lost..." Naoki sigh. "I wasn't expecting to feel that way once this was over. I don't know what I was even expecting... I'm a mess, Am I? I can't find balance"

"No, it's normal to feel lost, more in a city as big as this... You feel like an ant... I feel like that the first time I set foot in here. But you'll found your way and the only thing you have to do is to keep walking, not letting yourself down and remember that it doesn't matter what happens, you won't be alone, there are people who will support you, even if you don't see them"

"... Thanks, for everyone you guys have done for me"

"No problem, we count on you to watch our backs too"

"Ha, don't worry. I'll do my best. I won't let you down" At that moment I hear a voice in my head as everyone around me stopped. A card form on top of Naoki's head, the card showed a woman with wings wielding a long sword in both hands. On top of the sword, there was a balance. The woman was wearing a white mask a white mask.

 ** _I am Thou, Thou art I...  
_** ** _Thou hast acquired a new vow._**

 ** _It shall become the wings of rebellion  
_** ** _that breaketh thy chains of captivity_**

 ** _With the birth of the Adjustment Persona,  
_** ** _I have obtained the winds of blessing that  
_** ** _shall lead to freedom and new power..._**

Said the voice and the card quickly fade away. Everything return to normal and Naoki drink his water. "Sorry for being a little... negative. It's an issue I should fix about myself"

"That's still an aspect of yourself. Even if you change yourself, that will stay with you because is a part of you, a part of your personality"

"Yeah..."

"Anyway... Let's change the subject a little... Are you excited about the Firework Festival?" I ask and Naoki nodded like a child.

"Of course I am! It's been a while since I went to a festival. It will be a day to remember!" Said Naoki with excitement.

"I'm sure it will"

* * *

 _ **7/17 Sunday**_

 **Yusuke's POV**

I was looking at the white canvas in front of me. I was starring at its whiteness and for a moment I feel absorbed by it, like the whiteness invade my word and it was the only thing I saw. I was having troubles to draw, today I wasn't feeling in the mood to even painting. I had nothing, my mind was white, just like the canvas in front of me. I need inspiration. I stand up and get out of my room, only to see Kagura talking to her mother. Kagura's mother had a red yukata in her hands, she was forcing Kagura to put it on.

"Come on" She said. "If you are going to the Firework Festival tomorrow you need to try it"

"Mom, I don't want your yukata. I had one already" Kagura was not even interested in using it.

"Yes, but it's been years since you use it, it won't fit you anymore. Take mine and try it. I bet you'll look cute in it" Kagura sigh and grab the yukata. It was red with black flower all around it.

"... It does... have style" She said.

"I know right!? Try it!"

"Don't get too excited!" Kagura yell.

"Come on, Kagura. If you are going out with your friends at least try to look good. It's a festival after all and this yukata will match with your hair"

"... I can't argue with that, I guess" Kagura sigh. "Fine. I'll try it. Just because you insist on it" Kagura turn around and walk to her room. She looks at me before going in, I saw embarrassment on her face, she was blushing a little. Kagura's mother smiles victoriously.

"Yusuke-kun, I hear you are going too" She said and I walk to her.

"Yes, I'll be wearing a yukata too" I said and she looks surprised.

"Oh! That's a surprise. Not too many guys wear yukata nowadays. I think it's nice to keep some traditions alive. Everyone should wear a yukata in this kind of festivities"

"I agree"

"So... Can you do me a favor?" She asks me and I nodded. "Keep an eye on her tomorrow. I know nothing will happen, but you know... Just to be sure"

"Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on her. Nothing will happen as long I'm there"

"Good... Good... So, um..." She seems to be struggling with something, like she wanted to say something, but can't find the right words.

"... Is something wrong?"

"Huh? No, everything's fine but... Lately, I see Kagura a little different, more open, more... talkative and... You two are talking a lot lately. I don't want to jump to conclusions but... What happens there? Please, don't tell you are dating her" My eyes widen when she said that. She did jump to conclusions too fast.

"Wh-What? We are not... a couple" I said and for a strange reason it felt wrong to say that. "We are friends"

"Friends... Well, I just wanted to know because you two seem closer than before" She gets closer to me and whispers in my ear. "Did you know she stares at you when you are not looking?"

"What!?" That caught me completely off guard. "She... does? I-I-I..."

"Yusuke, you are blushing," She said and I try to calm down but fail. Naomi laughs at my expression. "I was kidding of course. You say you two are not a couple, but for what I'm seeing... You seem a little "interested" in her, am I right?"

"N-No, I'm not and I certainly won't step any boundaries. I respect her and sees her as a friend"

"I see... Good. I'm glad to hear that and sorry"

"It's okay..." I look down and sigh. Kagura gets out of her room wearing her yukata and my mind explode. As soon as I saw her, I saw red, the color of passion invading my canvas. Kagura looked beautiful on the red yukata, it matches with her hair now tied in a ponytail and the black flower in the yukata give me a strange sensation that she was not a person, but a goddess wearing field of black and red flowers that are pushed by the wind every time she takes a step. I got lost in the yukata and the imagination that was running wild, all that passion that I could translate to my canvas. All that was interrupted by Kagura who snapped her finger in front of me.

"Hey, Yusuke... My eyes are up here"

"Hm?" I ask and blink. My eyes focused on Kagura's chest. When I realize that I apologise right away. "S-Sorry, it wasn't my intention. I was... Lost in thought" Kagura walk to me and I expect her to hit me or something, but to my surprise, she didn't, instead, she pokes me in the forehead.

"You're daydreaming lately. Focus" Kagura sigh. "Well, you are lucky mom didn't notice you. She went for the camera"

"Ah..." I didn't know what to say, I was ashamed that I was staring at her chest without even noticing. I was truly lost in my thought, so focus on them that I didn't notice it. "Sorry" Was the only thing I could say.

"Don't worry, I'm not even mad"

"Really?"

"Yeah, is not like you are a pervert or anything. I mean, you are not Ryuji" She chuckled. "I'm actually surprised that I cause this effect on you"

"... Well, this yukata fits me and mom was right. It did match with my hair. I think I will use it after all tomorrow. You have yours ready"

"Yes, everything ready for tomorrow... Although I would've like to go to a buffet"

"... One of these days, Yusuke. One of these days"

* * *

 _ **7/18 Monday**_

 **Kagura's POV**

It was the day, the Firework Festival was today and I was a little excited, to be honest. I stay at home until it was time to go to Shibuya with the others, Mom stays in the morning but leave, she said she was going to see an old friend and she will be back by dinner. Yusuke stays in his room almost all day doing who knows what, I think he was painting because he buys new brushes in the morning... He's going to die if he spends all his money on that. He should take care of himself, I don't want to be the one that ends up taking care of him, I'm not his mother and I don't want to fill that role... He needs help. Later that day I was ready to go, I was waiting for Yusuke when Naoki knock the door and I let him in. He was wearing a yukata too, for some reason I thought he was joking when he says he had one, but no, he has one and I have to admit it suits him a little. It was a black yukata with multiple designs of dragons and what might look like gods in the lower half, the sleeves had white line and circles.

"So... What do you say?" He asks me and I look at him from head to toe.

"It looks good on you... But I have the feeling that someone might laugh at you"

"That's okay. I'm kinda used to that... And is kinda sad"

"At least you are acknowledging that... Well, I'm ready and Yusuke is almost done" I said and make sure I had everything in place. "Do I look okay to you?"

"You look pretty, that yukata match with you" He says something I was actually expecting. Everyone says the same thing.

"Thanks..." I cross my arms and wait for Yusuke. "Why is he taking too long?" I walk into his room and knock the door. "Yusuke is almost time. Let's go or we'll be late!"

"I'm almost done!" He said. I notice that the door was not locked so I take a deep breath and decided to step in.

"What's taking you so long!?" I ask as I enter. Yusuke had already his yukata, but he was in front of his canvas, painting. "Yusuke... Now is not the time for that we have to..." I saw the painting and feel a strange sensation of peace, despite the whole thing being in red. He was painting a field of black and red flowers, but the field was on top of a dress, a yukata that was being worn by a beautiful women walking away and the cloth blowing as she walks. Her hair was also red, but it looked like a waterfall of blood. I look down at my yukata and then at the canvas. "Yusuke... You can finish it later. Now is time for us to go. Sorry" I said with calm, after seeing the painting I knew why he stares at me yesterday. He had found inspiration and to my surprise, it was a beautiful painting...

"I know, sorry for making you wait"

"It's alright, Naoki is here, we better leave" I said and Naoki step in. He saw the painting and make a big deal out of it.

"Oh my god! Did you paint that!? That's awesome!"

"Yeah, you can talk about it later. Now we are late" I grab them both by the arm and we leave the apartment...

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

I arrive earlier than expected with Morgana inside my bag as usual. I wait for almost two minutes before Ryuji come running toward me, thinking he was late. Not long after that, Kagura, Yusuke, and Naoki arrive together. Now only Ann and Makoto were left.

"Dude, I thought you were joking when you say you'll wear a yukata" Said Ryuji to Naoki. "It looks cool, I won't deny it but... It's so hot, you are going to sweat on that"

"Don't worry, I barely feel heat" Naoki smile and Ryuji sigh.

"It's so hoooooot..." He whined

"I feel like I'm being baked..." Said Morgana and stick out his head. "Kagura... You look so beautiful on that"

"Knock it off," She said with her arms crossed. "For a moment I thought we were late... And seriously, it's too hot outside"

"Those girls are way too late..." Said Ryuji.

"Makoto when to Ann's house so they'll take their time to get here" Said Kagura.

"It must be taking time for them to put on the yukata" Said Yusuke and look at Kagura. "Kagura was already prepared" Yusuke stare at me and Ryuji. "Why aren't you two wearing one?"

"Yeah, it feels like you two are being left behind" Said Naoki.

"I don't got clothes like yukata" Said Ryuji.

"I used to wear one" I said. "But it wasn't on my list of priorities when I move here... and buying a new one is a pain, so..."

"I see" Said Naoki.

"But man, Yusuke, you look way too normal in that" Said Ryuji.

"People often say that to me" He answers calmly.

"It matches with your hair" Said Kagura.

"You too, Kagura... In fact... You two look like a couple" Said Naoki and Kagura step on his foot. "Ow!"

"Sorry, it was a reflect"

"You... liar" Naoki grab his feet in pain.

"Don't hurt him too much, you might break him" Said Morgana.

"Are you alright, Naoki?" I ask and he nodded.

"Yes... I might've deserved it" He said and stand up.

"Ah, by the way... The exams..." Ryuji looks serious.

"I bet you got a big fat F on them" Morgana taunt him.

"Shuddup! We- We don't know that yet!" Ryuji was a little defensive, I don't blame him. I saw his last score.

"Maybe if you'll study more, you'll get higher on the board" Said Naoki.

"Shuddup, you 20th place!"

"... That hurts, man" Naoki look down. "Dammit, I couldn't answer the last question. Why?"

"Ca-Calm down, Naoki. It was only a question. I bet it wasn't even worth a point" I said. While we were talking, two girls in yukata walk to us, one was wearing a pink yukata and the other a black and pink yukata.

"Are you going to the fireworks festival?" Ask the girl with the pink yukata. Her question was not for the group, but for Yusuke.

"That's right" He answer.

"Us too! Wanna go together?" The other girl asks.

"Are we... getting hit on!?" Ryuji asks me. "Waitin' around's a pain, so can we just go with these chicks?

"... They are asking Yusuke, Ryuji" I said. "And those girls are ignoring the fact that we have a girl with us and... hm?" I look at Kagura, she stares at those girls. "Kagura?"

"C'mon, let's go together" Said the girl with the pink yukata, she was about to grab Yusuke's hand, but Kagura grabs her instead. "Hm?"

"Sorry, but we are waiting for other girls" She said with a smile. That smile reminds me of her mother's smile when she threat Yusuke.

"Like she said, we are waiting for our friends. We won't leave anywhere without them" Said Yusuke. Looks like he wasn't even aware they were hitting on him.

"I... See..." Said the girl. They both turn around and leave, completely disappointed.

"How could you!?" Ryuji asks.

"Were you seriously going with them if they ask you?" Kagura asks. "We are waiting for the others and besides... They were after Yusuke, not you"

"But still..." Ryuji tries to defend himself and Ann appear behind him alongside Makoto.

"Why don't you go after them then?" Ann asks him, pretty angry.

"So those are the kind of girls you like, Ryuji" Said Makoto, disappointed of him.

"Uh, well... That's..." Ryuji was lost for words.

"Pfff" I couldn't help but laugh at him, but I try to suppress it.

"Why are you laughing!?" Ryuji yells at me.

"I'm surprised Kagura jump like that. For a moment I thought you were going to rip that girl's arm" Said Ann and Kagura shrug.

"I don't know what are you talking about" Kagura look away.

"Well, even if she wasn't even here, Yusuke won't go with those girls. He's a loyal friend... Unlike someone, I know" Makoto stare at Ryuji. And to put the final nail in the coffin, Morgana speak up.

"I heard that Ryuji's pretty much failed his exams"

"Oh?" Makoto was now pissed at him.

"Mona, you little-" Ryuji wanted to grab my bag at this point but because I was using it he didn't even bother, still, Morgana hide inside.

"Hey, it's gonna get crowded if we don't get going" Said Ann.

"Agreed, let's get going" Said Yusuke.

"Yes, I want to buy something sweet too" Said Naoki and we all walk to the festival. As soon we get out of the subway station we found ourselves surrounded by people and the Fireworks were exploding in the sky.

"Oh... It started already..." Said Ann. We saw the fireworks in the sky... being covered by the buildings. That makes me miss home, there were building but not as tall. As we look at the sky, we feel something unexpected... water... A rain starts to fall out of nowhere.

"This was unexpected," Said Naoki.

"What now?" Ryuji asks.

"... The convenience store" Naoki point at the store and we almost ran to it to shelter us from the rain that starts to get heavier and heavier, thunders decorate the sky as we try to dry ourselves, but it was useless. Kagura went inside for a moment to see if there were towels for us. Meanwhile, Ann took the lower half of her yukata and try to get rid of the water, she was showing her legs and not only me, but Ryuji was looking too. Yusuke looks away and Naoki wasn't even paying attention to that, he was looking at the rain, oblivious of what Ann was doing. Me and Ryuji look away as soon we notice that Makoto was looking at us.

"Ann" Said Makoto

"What's wrong?" Ann asks and Makoto point at us. Ann looks at us and notice that we all, except for Naoki, were looking away from her. Naoki looks at us too, not knowing what happens.

"Hm? We are you three looking away from Ann?" He asks and Ryuji yell at him.

"Naoki shut up!"

"Were you three staring at me?"

"No" The three of us answer at the same time. Kagura comes out of the store.

"Hey, there are towels inside. Come on in" She said and we all got inside. Before I went in, I saw someone on the other side of the street... It was Haru. She was accompanied by men in black suit and taking to a limousine. My eyes stare at the car as it leaves the street.

"Haru?" I whisper and Ryuji shakes my shoulder.

"Dude, let's go inside!" He said and I follow them in. Shortly after we got the towels we found out that the festival has been cancel due to the weather. As soon the rain was letting up we all go back home, despite our discontent. As I walk through the streets of Yongen I take out my phone and text Haru.

" _I saw you at the festival_ " I write. " _Why did you go alone?_ " She reply really quick

" _It's personal... Sorry, but my Father insists_ " When she wrote that I remember those men accompanying her. " _I'll explain it to you another day, I want to say it face to face_ "

" _Alright, let's meet at school later_ "

" _Let's meet at the rooftop, like before_ "

" _Sure, see you later then_ "

" _Goodbye_ " The conversation ended and I arrive at the Cafe. When I went inside I was met with a confrontation. Sojiro was arguing with a woman, the same woman I see from time to time here, but not that often. The last time I saw her she was talking with Kagura, looks like she was a regular here, but now... Looks like she was demanding something from Sojiro and that makes me nervous.

"So you won't tell me, no matter what?" She asks

"I have nothing more to say to you about that" Sojiro replied.

"I see. In that case, I have ways of making you talk"

"Huh? What's that supposed to-"

"Thanks for the drink" She said and simply leave the Cafe, completely ignoring me and Sojiro.

"H-Hey! We're not done here yet!" Sojiro yelled, but the woman already left.

"... What was that?" I ask.

"It's nothing" He sighed. "Nothing at all... It's past closing time. Clean up the place" He said and with a sigh, I start washing the dishes. Sojiro was cleaning the bar and the new were on TV at that moment.

" _... Regrettably, the cause behind the recent psychotic breakdown incidents is still unknown_ " Said the TV reporter. " _Onto other news... The international hacktivist group Medjed has released a statement to the Phantom Thieves_ " That alone was enough to make stop watching the dishes and look at the screen. Sojiro also looks at the TV. " _These are the details of the message that are posted on Medjed's website: **To the Phantom Thieves causing an uproar in Japan: Do not speak of your false justice. We do not need the spread of such falsehood. We are the true executors of justice**_ "

"The Phantom Thieves again...?" Sojiro asks with an annoyed look.

" ** _However, we are magnanimous. We will give you an opportunity to repent your ways. If you agree to a change of heart, we will accept you as our own. If you reject our offer, the hammer of justice will find you_** "

"Justice, huh?" Sojiro whispers

" ** _We are Medjed. We are unseen. We will eliminate evil_** " The TV reporter finish reading. The screen shortly after showed Akechi. " _Akechi-san, why do you think this announcement was made at this time and not before?_ "

" _I don't know the details,_ " Said Akechi. " _But there's no doubt that they were provoked by the Phantom Thieves. Whether it's a sense of rivalry of simple attention grab given the recent trends, I cannot say... Regardless, it's quite a nuisance_ "

" _A nuisance?_ " Ask the reporter

" _Both Medjed and the Phantom Thieves are nothing more than groups that uphold an egoistic justice,_ " Said Akechi.

"What a stupid thing they're getting riled up on..." Sojiro sigh. "Phantom Thieves, huh? What in the world are they? You know about them?"

"Not really" I said. "I don't actually care about that"

"I see... Well, it's about time I go home" He said. "Make sure you lock the place up. Also, about the stuff in the fridge... Well, I guess it's fine. Just don't use too much of it. I'm leaving now" Sojiro take the keys of his house and leave the Cafe.

"Sometimes he can be a little grumpy" I said and keep looking at the TV.

" _It's possible that more people like these will continue to appear due to their influence_ " Akechi keep talking. I turn off the TV and go to bed... Without Morgana even telling me to do that. Man, that's just sad... I was about to close my eyes when my phone ringed. I check the message and it was Ryuji. He was writing in the Phantom Thieves' chat room.

" _We gotta talk about Medjed,_ " He wrote.

" _You mean those guys people online are going nuts over?_ " Ann ask

" _Medjed... That name seems to come from one of the obscure gods from the Egyptian Book of the Dead_ " Write Yusuke.

" _Weird name for a Hacker group_ " Write Naoki. " _Did you all saw the news?_ "

" _Yes, I saw it_ " Write Makoto. " _For some reason, they think we speak of false justice_ "

" _What do they know?_ " Kagura write. " _Let's ignore them, they just want attention_ "

" _It could be true. Still, what exactly did you want to speak of regarding Medjed, Ryuji?_ " Yusuke asks and Ryuji answer right away.

" _Wellllll, why don't we go after them as our next target?_ " He asks

" _... Are you out of your mind?_ " Kagura asks.

" _That seems... Interesting, but I don't think it will make any difference_ " Said Naoki.

" _What a sudden suggestion_ " Write Yusuke.

" _I mean they're like, bad hackers of something, right?_ "

" _Not really_ " Makoto step in. " _Technically, they're crackers. Those who use the internet to illegally access and alter data. Medjed is an organized group of such people recognized by the larger international community_ "

" _So they operate on a global scale?_ " Yusuke asks.

" _That makes them even bigger than Kaneshiro!_ " Write Ann

" _Right!? Then it's settled. Our next target's gonna be Medjed_ " Ryuji declare. " _I wonder if the Nav'll get a hit if we put Medjed in"_

" _Are you that dumb?_ " Kagura asks. " _The Nav search people's Palaces, not groups_ "

" _She's right. Don't waste your time_ " I write.

" _And we don't even know how many people Medjed is_ " Makoto write.

" _Wouldn't we get at least one member's info if we try and look it though?_ " Ryuji asks.

" _Even if we did, how would we discover their location?_ " Makoto asks him. " _The only confirmed presence of Medjed has been online_ "

" _This is a greater problem than simply finding their keywords,_ " Said Yusuke. " _Unless you have any more ideas, Ryuji?_ " Ryuji didn't reply.

" _Hellooo?_ " Ann write.

" _It seems he had suggested this without putting much thought into it,_ " Said Yusuke.

" _C'mon, we can't back down now! People are all excited about it! Our reputation's gonna plummet if we don't face this shit_ "

" _Do I need to remind you that we are not doing this for reputation?_ " Kagura write. " _I could care less about our reputation_ "

" _Still, if we remain silent, people would believe we simply chose to run away from the matter_ " Yusuke made a point.

" _Medjed has taunted us publicly, after all..._ " Write Makoto.

" _... I think you are right_ "

" _If they are criminals, we cannot just let them be_ " Yusuke agreed with Ryuji on taking down Medjed.

" _Yeah_ " Ann too. " _And we don't have any other targets right now either_ "

" _Well, if you all agree, then let's do it... But I can see right now it will take us some time. This is a big group we are talking about, let's be careful with this one_ " Kagura right.

" _I agree. Don't underestimate hackers. They can steal your money and information ＼(º □ º )/_ " Write Naoki

" _＼( º □ º)/_ " Kagura replied with another Kaomoji. " _Two can play that game, Naoki_ "

" _(*´▽`*)_ " Naoki replay and Ryuji stop them before they could keep writing

" _Anyway, Akira, Let's talk to Mishima tomorrow. This is more of his thing_ "

" _Let's do that_ " We were done talking and my head hit the pillow...


	42. Who's Futaba Sakura?

_**A really long chapter indeed. Sorry for the wait, work and all that stuff fuck with me and my plans. I mean, I wanted to focus at least a little in my MCU fanfic because Infinity War is around the corner and I've been having troubles to write it. My Persona fanfics are a little easier because I'm more into them. But seriously, I should focus on that one later. Anyway... Long chapter, enjoy it. Also leave a review, that way I know if you like it or not or you can just say what you think, positive or negative.**_

 ** _I'll answer a question now that I'm here:_**

 ** _ReallyLazyReader : Actually I don't tend to pick voice actors for my OC. I leave her voice to the reader's imagination actually because when it comes to voice actors I don't know a lot of them. Mainly because I'm from other country and I'm not too much familiar with English VA. Sorry if it's a bother._**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 41: Who's Futaba Sakura?**_

 **Akira's POV**

 _ **7/19 Thursday**_

I open my eyes and found myself looking at the pretty familiar ceiling by now. A ceiling that I become accustomed to seeing, yet I hate to see. The reason was that every time I see that ceiling, that means Igor is going to be vague and cryptic again and Caroline is going to yell at me for the sake of it, Justine, on the other hand, is much nicer, but she treats me bad too... I still prefer her even though she treats me like shit too. When I have to fuse Personas they remain most of the time quiet so I go in and out in a matter of seconds, I do what I need to do and leave, but moments like this when I wake up... I hate them so much, yet I became so used to it that I stop bothering about it... I wish I was out of this cell so I can show Caroline how to not mess with me. I'll even use a Persona against her, I don't care. Yeah, I'll hit a child, don't judge me, I'm not the most messed up person in the room right now... I bet Igor have done worst things... Anyway... I stand up from my bed and walk to my cell's door and stare at Igor with tiredness.

"It seems you've got your share of problems, Inmate" Said Caroline.

"To think you would relax under such circumstances. Either you're quite bold... or quite foolish" Said Justine.

"Maybe I'm both" I said. "I want to see you both doing better. Now that would be amusing"

"Are you making fun of us!?" Caroline yells at me.

"... One with an "unseen" form, hm?" Igor ask me.

"Yeah... Medjed... They will be quite difficult to deal with" I said and Igor chuckle. Every time he does that it freaks me up. It almost sounds like a diabolical laugh from a movie villain.

"I've been enjoying this dispute over "Justice." However, it will soon come to an end... and through the appearance of an unexpected force, of all things" Igor keep smiling. "Engaging with formidable enemies is also part of your rehabilitation. I ask that you overcome this"

"Just like when I change Misaki's heart... Wait... I do have a question to ask" My hands tighten the bars of my cell. Igor looks at me, waiting for my question. "Is about Kagura... How can she summon another Persona? Does she has the same power as me or is she something else?"

"Ah, yes... The self-proclaimed 'Clown'. The girl that overcome her imprisonment, the one that finds a way to change the hearts of corrupt people in the early days of the Metaverse... I'll give you an advice about her... Your bond with her is doomed to break... One way... Or the other"

"Our bond... Will break? What do you mean by that?" I started to get nervous. I feel a shiver down my spine. Igor knew something and he was being vague again. If he's trying to help me, then he isn't doing a good job.

"Kagura Kobayashi is an Inverse Wild Card... The Jester Wild Card... Unlike the Fool, the Jester can only wield certain Personas... Negative ones, obscure Personas from the darker corners of the Sea of Souls. The Jester cannot be a Fool, so it's desperate to become one, so desperate that will do anything in its reach to become one... Jesters are destined to perish in agony and loneliness, she's only delaying the inevitable and in the near future an event will take place where she'll have to decide between the group... or her desires... Which one will she chose at the end it depends on you... If you fail, she will fall into the abyss and never come back from it. So it's better for you to know now. Choose your actions carefully" That alone leave me thinking. Is Kagura going to do something? Is she going to do something that will put us all in the middle? What will happen? What is Igor talking about? I don't understand, but I should watch her very closely from now on. I don't want something bad to happen. I will stop that. Whatever it is...

* * *

 ** _7/20 Wednesday_**

In the subway station, waiting for the train to take me to school, I couldn't stop thinking about what Igor told me last night. It was good to know, but there's a lot of things I should be worrying right now, Medjed, organize my "normal" life and my "criminal" life. I don't really know if I should call myself a criminal, but whatever. Now there's something that might happen with Kagura. She? of all persons? I don't think I should worry too much, but I have to do something... I feel my bond with her and is still weak, pretty weak. She trusts the group, she is more open to the group now, but when it comes to knowing her to a personal level like some of my confidants I'm pretty much just a fellow worker, a teammate, not an actual friend like Makoto or Yusuke. Yes, I feel like Yusuke is into something. I saw him staring at her from time to time and I saw Kagura looking at him from behind twice. There's something going on between those two and I think I know what it is. But I'm forgetting what I should be doing. First, Medjed, Second, Spending time with Kagura... If my bond with her is not strong enough, then I bet this will go down faster than a sinking ship. While I start rambling inside my mind, I notice someone staring at me with a smile... It was Goro Akechi. From time to time I see him in the Subway on my way to school and exchange some thought with him. At this point, we talk about anything. I still don't trust the guy, but he's so charismatic that I can't simply ignore him.

"Good Morning, Akira" He smiles at me and I smile back.

"Good morning. What a coincidence to see you here... again... Don't tell me you are following me. That's creepy" I joked.

"Haha, no, not at all. It was a coincidence" Akechi laugh. "Seriously, it's so hot here. It proves that summer has finally strike us. I get sweaty just walking a little bit"

"You are not the only one. This is pretty brutal" I make a small talk with him until he jumps to what might be his favorite topic... The Phantom Thieves.

"I didn't think Medjed would pounce on the Phantom Thieves. Interesting things keep happening this year"

"It makes me wish for a little more of peace. Everyone is talking about it like crazy. I bet that this news reach other countries"

"They sure did, but talk about it as a rumor or a fraud. The Phantom Thieves have little recognition outside of Japan, but there's always a minority" Akechi sigh. "The influence of the Phantom Thieves knows no bounds... I underestimated it, honestly. Now I wonder... What the public thinks of this. Are they entertained? Or perhaps inconvenienced?"

"I bet they are entertained. They are expecting the outcome, to see what happen... Like... Watching a movie" When I say that, I felt a little... empty? No, that's not the word at all... Is it fear perhaps? People are getting way too excited about this now and it makes me wonder what will happen with them... and with us along the line.

"Entertained, huh..." Akechi looks sad. "A luxury for the uninvolved. I know they mean no ill intent. So this is what the public thinks..." My little conversations with Akechi always left me thinking about what we do. I don't think is bad, but completely the opposite, even if we became the villain of the story for Japan's authorities, we are doing what most of them can't... Changing this country, little by little.

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

I was lunchtime I was sitting all by myself in my desk. Makoto was nowhere to be found and I was bored. I didn't even bring food today, I wasn't hungry today. I'll buy something to eat later. The only thing was worried my more than what I was going to eat was the fact that Medjed was our next target. I didn't know where to even start. I've never targeted a group before and this is quite the challenge. I'm not going to say I'm not interested at all, I am but not as everyone else. I didn't want anything to do with them at all, if it was for me, I'll ignore them and keep doing what I do, I don't own those Phantom Thieves fans a fight with Medjed. They treat it like some kind of entertainment and I hate that... I seriously hate that. This isn't what I wanted, this isn't what I plan in the beginning. This will get out of hands, if it's not soon, then eventually and it will be nasty. My phone vibrates, I grab it and look at it. I have several new messages and still getting new ones, they were coming from an unknown account...

" _Nice to meet you... Kagura Kobayashi_ "

" _I am the one they call Alibab_ a"

" _I want to ask you something_ "

" _You're a Phantom Thief, aren't you?_ " That question alone was enough to put me on alert. I look around and make sure no one was watching me. I keep looking at the screen.

" _Can you really steal heart?_ " This person keeps asking. " _There is someone whose heart I would like you to steal_ " I didn't like this at all. I feel like I should be ignoring this, but if this person actually finds out and have some proof, then I shouldn't be ignoring a person that can turn me into the police. Why do people keep finding out identities? First Makoto, then Misaki with Naoki and now... This person "Alibaba" or whatever he calls himself.

" _I'm not asking for charity... Let's make a deal_ "

" _You wish to know about Medjed, correct? I can give you information on them if the change of heart is successful_ "

" _If you desire, I can take care of them as well. Do you believe in my skills?_ "

" _I can track down their accounts, just as I have with yours_ "

" _But this is all I can prove for now_ "

" _I've prepared the necessary tool on my end... Look forward to it..._ " At that moment I decided to respond, I was not going to remain quiet about this and let this person use me like this.

" _Who is this!?_ " I ask but all I get is an error message. It was like if the account didn't exist at all. "... Shit. I can't reply back... This is bad" I think it was the first time in my life I felt scared, angry, confused and lost at the same time. This was so unexpected I didn't even know how to properly react to it. I turn off my phone and stay there, staring at my desk for what it felt like an eternity. School ends up faster than I was expecting, mostly because my mind focus on those messages. When school finish, I gather everyone in Shibuya and show them the messages. Everyone was as surprised as me.

"Considerin' he mentioned stealin' hearts, he knows, doesn't he?" Ryuji asks.

"Seems so..." Makoto confirms it for him.

"How were we found out?" Yusuke asks and I shrug.

"To be honest, with this messages, we were found out three times by now, two of them are Ryuji's fault... But this one... For what I can think of... Maybe this person is watching us from somewhere, even spy on our conversations"

"He may have traced our chat log too..." Said Makoto.

"That's also a possibility," Said Akira.

"How careless of us..." Yusuke laments this.

"But how would he have known all these details...?" Makoto thinks about this, about the different way this person could've known.

"Do you think there's another cause?" Yusuke asks.

"Yeah. I'm not sure why, but that's the feeling I get"

"Hey, is it that easy to look at someone else's chat log?" Ann asks

"I don't know much about it myself, but... it's probably not impossible, I think?" Even Makoto didn't know.

"Not for a hacker" Said Naoki. "This 'Alibaba' mention Medjed too... So he must be a hacker too if he says he'll take care of them if we agreed to that change of heart"

"But... Why?" Ryuji asked

"Who knows? Maybe he hates them and agrees to help us if we do what he says... If not... I won't be surprised he extract our chat room's history and share it online or to the police. We'll be exposed and that will be our Game Over" Naoki sigh. "I don't know... What should we do?"

"Hey... Wouldn't it be great if we got this guy on our side?" Ryuji asks and Naoki stares at him.

"Do you want to trust in a Hacker? It would be like trusting in a thief" Naoki cross his arms. "Or even worst. We don't even know this guy"

"He's right. Besides, we know nothing about his identity at all. We can't trust him" Makoto support Naoki and pretty much everyone in the group, including me. We can't trust him, but he might do something if we don't agree with him.

"I don't think it's a bad deal though..." Said Ryuji.

"Even if Alibaba turns out to be a criminal? I am not helping anyone of that sort" Yusuke express his disgust, I did the same.

"Me neither. Hackers are criminal too, Ryuji" I said

"Oh, right. That wouldn't be good..."

"The " _I've prepared the necessary tools_ " part makes no sense either" Said Morgana.

"Who knows what he has in mind when he writes that" I said.

"Could this just be a prank?" Ann asks, wishing it was actually a prank, but this was pretty much legit.

"I wish it was... The fact that he says my name is enough for me to be on guard"

"If he knows who we are, won't we get caught?" Ann ask what everyone was thinking at this point.

"I don't think so. If he wanted to report us, I think he would've done it already" Said Makoto.

"He offers us a deal... A change of heart... I think he won't get rid of us, even if we decline his offer" Said Yusuke. "I'm certain he'll contact us again"

"There's no telling when he'll do so though..." Makoto, just like the rest of the group, was nervous. She didn't even hide that fact. "It'd be best if we stay together. If something happens, we can act at once"

"So, somewhere we can wait and hide for long hours..." Looks like Ann had something in mind. "Let's go to Leblanc" She said and Akira just shrug, he was okay with it. We all agree and go to Yongen, to Leblanc. As soon we enter, we fin Sojiro staring at a letter, he seems annoyed by something and it was pretty obvious. Akira get closer to him.

"Um... Sojiro?" He asks and Sojiro look at him, not noticing our group until now. He folded the letter and put it in his pocket.

"Oh? What's with the big group?" He asks nervously.

"Good evening" Ann said politely. "We were thinking about putting together plans for our summer"

"Hm? Is that a couple of new faces I see?" Sojiro looks at Makoto and Naoki. He didn't have the chance to see or meet them The last time she was in Leblanc, he wasn't here. Makoto knew where I work, but never stop by or enter until recently and Naoki was new in the group.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you. My name is Naoki Hanazawa" Naoki introduce himself.

"And my name is Makoto Niijima. I hope we're not being a bother" Makoto introduce herself.

"She's our student council president" Ryuji added.

"Niijima...?" Sojiro looks at Makoto, something was bothering him.

"Is something wrong?" Makoto asks him.

"Nah, it's nothing. A student council president, eh? I'm stunned. I hope Akira's not causing you too much troubles" Sojiro joked. "I'm Sojiro Sakura, but everyone just call me Boss"

"... Except for me. I still call you Sojiro" I said.

"Yeah, yeah... oh, before I forgot. There's a letter for you" Sojiro said to Akira and point at the little letter on the bar. "It was in my mailbox, don't know who sent it though. And With that out of the way... This old man'll get going and leave you kids be" Sojiro look at me. "The store's all yours. Don't let them run wild and destroy it"

"That won't happen... Right, Ryuji?"

"Huh? Why are you staring at me for? I don't cause troubles!" After Sojiro leaves the store we sit down and watch TV while eating some snacks. It didn't too long until the TV show Medjed again and as soon it did, we start paying close attention to it.

" _We have late-breaking news on Medjed, whose notoriety rose since their statement the other day,_ " Said the TV report, staring at the camera. " _Just moments ago, a new message has been released on their website. They have announced their victory over the Phantom Thieves. Medjed also warns any Japanese citizens who praised the Phantom Thieves to stop doing so. We will report any further actions by Medjed as they arrive_ " Ann and Ryuji take out their phones and search Medjed website. As soon Ryuji found it, yells.

"Oh, come on! It's in English!" He whined.

"Let me see..." Ann looks at it and translates the message. " ** _The Phantom Thieves remain silent at our question. This proves that we are just. People of Japan, wake up. You must not worship the Phantom Thieves_** "

"What!? That's bullshit!" Ryuji yell.

"Don't yell here!" I yell back at him. "Keep listening, is not over yet" Ann keep reading.

" ** _We will discipline any who worship them. The punishment is the confiscation of possessions. We are Medjed. We are unseen. We will eliminate evil_** " Ryuji didn't wait to show his disgust.

"What does that all mean!?" He yells.

"They're saying that they'll target sympathizers of the Phantom Thieves" Makoto explains.

"When they say confiscation of possessions... Does that mean like... Website's accounts? Even bank accounts!?" Naoki asks, frighten

"Why the hell are we being singled out?"

"Perhaps all they care about is labeling the Phantom Thieves as crooks" Makoto explains. "That all this wouldn't have happened had the Phantom Thieves not existed"

"They are jealous of how relevant we are in the news" I said.

"That's complete bullshit..." Ryuji hit the table.

"Talk about a troublesome organization we've been targeted by" Said Morgana, laying on the table.

"Isn't there anything we can do?" Ann was worried, we all were.

"It's certain we can't do anything about this on our own..." Yusuke let out a sigh and I did the same.

"Hey, so what's this letter about?" Ryuji point at the letter Akira receive. "We don't need any more trouble"

"It's rare for you to get something like this" Said Morgana.

"True... If I have to guess maybe is from my parents or maybe a letter from Howarts that arrive years later" Akira joked while opening the letter. He takes out a red card and that was the only thing in the letter. "What's this?" He asks and leaves the card on the table.

"... A calling card?" Morgana asks.

"Anything else in there!?" Ann asks and Akira shakes his head.

"No, just this..."

"Who's this from anyway?" Ann asks again.

"There's no stamp on it. Someone must've directly dropped it into the mailbox here..." Said Makoto pointing at the letter.

"Could it have been Alibaba...?" Yusuke asks.

"That reminds me, he did mention something about preparing the "necessary tool"... Don't tell me... Is this what he was talking about!?" Morgana asks.

"It looks like" Naoki grab the card.

"What the hell's goin' on here...?" Ryuji was genuinely confused

"All we can do at the moment is wait for Alibaba's orders" Makoto advice us. "Let's brace ourselves and stand by... in case anything comes up"

Shortly after that, we all leave the Cafe, I was about to leave but Akira stop me for a moment. I told Yusuke to leave without me, he told me he was going to buy more brushes before going back home anyway... He's spending all his money on that, I might hide his money if I have the chance. He can't go wasting his money on that. Anyway, I stay with Akira for a moment.

"You wanted to talk about something?" I ask.

"Actually there is... I've been a little curious about you and Yusuke"

"... What about me and Yusuke?"

"Well... You two seem a little more... How should I put it?" Akira asks himself. "Well... You used to kinda hate him and now you are actually having a normal conversation with him and I can't help but notice that from time to time you smile more with him and... You stare at him a couple of times"

"I don't stare at him. What am I? A creep?"

"You stare at him at least twice in the convenience store during the firework festival. I notice it, Ryuji notice it, even Makoto. Ann wasn't paying attention and Naoki was in the bathroom at the moment. If I'm not the one that says something about it, then I bet Ryuji will jump to conclusions. So I need to know... Are you slightly interested in Yusuke?" He asks and for some reason, I found myself not being able to answer that question because I start to think about it... I did stare him, but I didn't notice it at all. It was involuntary, I couldn't control myself. Am I interested? Do I look at him like that? It can't be.

"... Yeah, right. Like I would fall for him? He's not worth it" I cross my arms and say it while avoiding visual contact. Morgana jumps to the table and looks at me.

"Are you sure?" He asks. "You don't sound that convince"

"You think I'm lying? I'm not"

"I didn't bring the subject to upset you are anything. I just wanted to know and avoid any misunderstandings later. Because I know for a fact that Ryuji will jump to conclusions and if he does, so will Ann and Makoto will start making questions, just like Naoki and you'll end up yelling at them... Maybe even hitting Ryuji a couple of times" He explains and I was surprised because I could see that going down that way. It was like Akira saw the near future.

"You might be right, but... There's nothing going on between the two of us"

"I know... The question is, What do YOU feel?" Akira ask me and catch me a little off guard. "After Misaki's Palace I notice you more friendly, more cooperative, you talk more, you are not so quiet and shut yourself something. You are changing, I notice it and maybe is because you had a near-death experience... But you also start to show a little interest in Yusuke. We all notice it and Yusuke seems pretty oblivious to it"

"... You can say whatever you want, I'm not interested in him. Not at all. He's not even the kind of person I'm into it. He sometimes is weird, is obsessed with aesthetics, with his stupids paintings, with his weird obsession with painting me and... He painted me not too long ago... And it was rather beautiful..."

"Excuse me?" Morgana asks.

"I mean... Nothing, just nothing. Is just your imagination. If this is what you wanted to talk about then we are done here. I'm going back home" I leave right after that. Still, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Do I have "feelings" for Yusuke? Or I'm just acting weird? Maybe it's just nothing... But why I'm starting to feel this nervous about it? Is it true? Now that there's something more important we should be worrying, Akira drops this right in my face... What should I do? Should I ignore it? Maybe I can...

* * *

 _ **7/21 Thursday**_

I couldn't stop thinking about that. I didn't sleep well last night. I wish Akira hasn't told me about that, why I'm making such a big deal about it? It's stupid, it shouldn't be that hard to put it behind and just focus on our biggest issue right now, Medjed and Alibaba... This is more important and whatever happens next might be our salvation our downfall. Alibaba might be a good ally, but he's a hacker and maybe he has his own agenda. I bet he wouldn't think it twice to sold us out if things don't go his way. Why does he want to cooperate? Does he have a grudge against Medjed? Was he a member? That seems one of the more logical things, but then again, that might not be the case... He wants us to steal someone's heart... What if that person isn't a criminal? If this person does not have distorted desires then it will be impossible for us to even try it... Sometimes I wish to turn back time and just be all by myself, it was easier and I wouldn't have all these problems... I hate it... But I don't hate my teammates, they are useful... Some more than others... I have the feeling that Akira is on to something too. I bet he's curious about how I summon Yhoundeh, like if my explanation before wasn't that convincing. Maybe he thinks there's something else... To be honest, I'm curious about his power too, but he's not being that honest about it... Maybe I'll have a talk with him later. On top of all that, Misaki's shadow mentions a butterfly, a man with a black suit and a God... That alone makes me more nervous. I can't speak with Philemon about it and at times like this, I really need someone to guide me on the right path, I kind of miss the man.

All those things going on in my head are enough to make me feel sick. My head is hurting a little, but nothing I couldn't deal with. Now I'm trying to distract my head by listening to the teacher's lecture. This class, in particular, was pretty boring, but it'll do. My phone vibrates and I make take it out, making sure that he didn't saw me. Ryuji sends me a message.

" _Did Alibaba message you?_ " He asks me and I replay almost immediately.

" _He didn't_ "

" _Alright. Let us know ASAP if he tries to get in touch with you, mkay?_ "

" _Don't worry, you'll be the first to know_ " I replay and put my phone down. Shortly after my phone vibrate again and sigh. "God, who is it now?" I take out my phone again and it was Alibaba, to my surprise... Kind of, I was expecting him today.

" _Good day,_ " He writes and I replay.

" _Hello_ " I greet back

" _Ah, you responded today. Once again, I am Alibaba_ "

" _Yeah, I figure it out. What do you want?_ "

" _You are the leader of the Phantom Thieves, correct?_ " He asks me and I decided to taunt him a little.

" _I might be. It depends on what you want from me_ "

" _I know in fact that you are the leader. Otherwise, we won't be having this conversation. I just want to make sure. I take it you received the calling card? I figure out that it would be easier to send it to one of your teammates. That way you'll know that I know everyone's identities, or at least most of them_ "

" _Fair enough, I think. Yes, we receive the Calling Card_ "

" _Are you in school right now?_ "

" _Of course I am... What do you want? Make it quick_ "

" _Now then, I have prepared the calling card for you. When are you going to steal it?_ "

" _So you want me to do it now? Looks like you don't have any patience at all_ "

" _Aren't you able to steal a heart as long as you have a calling card?_ "

" _... Tell me the name of my target_ "

" _A name? Is your heart thievery truly impossible without such information?_ " He was right about that, but also I need to know what I'm actually getting into.

" _I want to know who I'm going to steal the heart. That's enough for me to actually find this person... I'm not doing things blindly, that's not how it works. Is not like stealing a bank_ "

" _I see... I suppose past calling cards did have names on them. Very well, I'll tell you_ " I take a deep breath and wait for him to tell me the name of this person, then I could talk with the others about this. " _The name of your target is... **Futaba Sakura**. If you fail in this mission, I will expose your identity to the world and to the police_ "

" _We never fail_ " That was my last message before it sends me an error message. "Fucker... Futaba Sakura, hm? Who is this person exactly?" I thought about it for a moment then a weird thought crosses my mind. "Could it be...? No, it's a coincidence. It can't be"

I contact Ryuji and let him know about Alibaba. Then tell him that we should gather right after school, I've decided to use my house as a safe place for now. We can't discuss this in the open anymore. I wait for school to end and we all go straight to my house, once there I show them the message and none of them were happy about the last part. Especially Ryuji.

"We're gonna get reported if we don't do this? What the hell!?" He yells.

"Futaba Sakura...?" Ann asks. "This seems familiar somehow"

"Wasn't Sakura..."

"Sojiro's last name" I said. "I thought about it too, but it can't be"

"Does he have any familly?" Yusuke ask me.

"He never talks about it. As far as I know, he lives alone" I explain. "Sojiro keeps a lot of things to himself actually"

"Well, the Calling Card was delivered to Boss's House; it'd be more natural to assume this is all related" Makoto said. It makes sense. "One of the reasons for that is because Alibaba mentioned nothing about "which" Futaba Sakura. Perhaps he thinks that the name alone is enough. I believe it's adequate for us to think that this is the doing of someone close by"

"Or at least someone that's spying on us" Said Naoki. "This guy is a hacker, so he might not be even this close to us"

"That's true, he wouldn't risk on getting this close to us" Said Yusuke.

"I don't know how Alibaba got a hold of Kagura's phone information. However, since he's ordering us through chat, I do feel as though he's taunting us" Makoto sigh.

"You mean, this might just be a prank?" Ryuji ask.

"But what if it isn't?" Naoki asks. "We can't just sit down and wait"

"Yes, but he's telling us to steal someone's heart without explaining why" Makoto had a strong point. We can't just steal a random person's heart. I thought about it before too.

"Not only that, maybe this person doesn't have a Palace, to begin with... Or a Shadow. It's like he might use us to take advantage of this person" I said. "Maybe this person does have a Palace... But then again, anyone can have a Palace, evil or not. As long their desires are strong enough it can happen"

"Maybe he's testing us" Yusuke suggests.

"It might also be a possibility," Said Naoki. "Still, I don't feel comfortable about this whole thing"

"Regardless, I think we should ask Boss about Futaba Sakura once" Makoto suggest.

"That's probably for the best" Said Morgana. "There's nothing else we can do at the moment, and Chief might have an idea on what this is about too"

"I'll check the school's roster just in case"

"And I'll ask Sojiro" I said, Akira stop me.

"Maybe it's the best if I'm the one asking. I'm living there so I might come up with an excuse if he gets too defensive about it" He said and it was in fact a better option.

"We must make sure Boss doesn't figure out who we are. We'll have to go about this cautiously"

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

That same day I decided to go straight home and ask him about Futaba Sakura. We can't wait, we better deal with this now. I just hope he doesn't know a damn thing and this is a misunderstanding. If it isn't... We'll have a problem here. Morgana hides in my bag as I open the door of the Cafe. I found him smoking inside, there are no customers around. The place was a ghost town, it was my chance.

"Hm? You arrive earlier than expected. I was about to leave. What's up?" He asks me.

"... Do you happen to know someone named Futaba Sakura?" I ask and he gives me a deadly look. That's it, that's the look I didn't want to face right now. I got myself into troubles.

"Why do you know about that?" He asks me. No, it wasn't a question, he was demanding me an answer. I was about to answer, but he cut me off. "It's got nothing to do with you... I'm going home... Make sure you lock up the place" He said and leave as quickly as possible.

"Goddammit..." I said. "So he's relative to Futaba?"

"Looks like it" Said Morgana. I take out my phone and we start chatting in the chat room.

" _I talk with him... He didn't want to talk about it_ " I write and they all answer right away.

" _Well, shit_ " Write Kagura.

" _Could there be a reason as to why that was?_ " Yusuke writes.

" _Hm, Alibaba might be our only hope of defeating Medjed_ " Makoto write. " _I wish we could get some info about Futaba out of Boss_ "

" _But trying to force it out would probably have the opposite effect_ " Write Ann.

" _If we don't get some answers then we'll get into bigger trouble_ s" Write Naoki.

" _I don't wish to cause any troubles between Akira and Boss,_ " Said Yusuke.

" _Yeah, I know what you mean_ " Write Ryuji.

" _It's probably best to wait for Boss to bring the subject up himself_ "

" _I wouldn't count on that. He's too quiet about his personal life_ " Write Kagura. _"Maybe I should try to speak with him_ "

" _No, leave him be for now,_ " I write. " _I think I know how to know a little more about this_ "

 _"How?_ " Naoki ask me.

" _I'll ask around_ "

* * *

 _ **7/22 Friday**_

I ask around and as I was expecting, no one knows anything about Futaba Sakura. I thought I'll make any progress but no, No one knows anything. The only thing I found out that seems to be that Sojiro buys too much food for one person... Maybe he's not living alone. Maybe Futaba Sakura is his daughter or some distant relative that can't or won't leave his house for some reason. If that's the case maybe she's sick? That can't be the case... Anyway, I go back to the Cafe after I finish. When I arrived I saw the same woman from the other day, the one that was asking something to Sojiro. This time they were having a strong argument. Sojiro saw me entering and sigh heavily.

"You read the letter, did you not?" She asks him.

"So you're the one who tipped him off about Futaba. You really shouldn't have done that. I have no intention of talking to you about Wakaba"

"Tipped off...? What are you talking about?" She asks. "... Back to the matter at hand... Your parental authority will have to be suspended. I take it you're OK with that outcome?"

"What!?"

"Considering the state of your daughter and your family overall, there are no points in your favor. Would you like to take this to domestic court? Our chances of victory are roughly 99.9% though. With these suspicions of abuse... there's no way you could avoid having your custody revoked"

"That's bullshit and you know it! You're going that far...!? I told you, I don't know a damn thing about it"

"We're extremely serious about this. As long as there's a possibility that cognitive psience can be linked to psychotic breakdowns..."

"... I'm sorry... What?" I ask without even thinking about it and they both look at me. "What is going on here?"

"Nothing..." Said Sojiro and sighed. "Fine... I yield" As soon as he did, the woman smile proudly.

"Thank you. I will contact you at a later date" She leaves a card with her number.

"I doubt you'll find anything you want to hear though"

"That's fine. It will be up to us to decide whether the information you give us is useful or not" She said and quickly leave the Cafe. As soon as she did Sojiro hit the table.

"That woman is real good at pissing people off!" He yelled and then look at me. "What's with that look? You got something to say?"

"I..." I was about to ask but for some reason, I couldn't say a thing. He wasn't in the mood and by just listening I had a faint idea of what was going on. I wanted to know, but he won't say a thing. I know that and I wasn't going to make him angrier than he was right now. "... Nothing..."

"... This doesn't involve you... Lock the store..." He said and leave the Cafe. When he did I seat down and sigh. Morgana gets out of my bag and jump to the table.

"That reminds me of my parents when they have a fight..." I said. "For a moment I felt like I was back at home... But Sojiro is more menacing than my father"

"At least we know a little about Futaba... We have solid information now, but we still lack the details. Also, what was that they were talking about? Cognitive something..."

"Cognitive psience... I don't know what that is"

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

 _ **7/23 Saturday**_

We gather at my house again after school and Akira told us what happen yesterday. About the information, he gathers and to our surprise, we have a lot to discuss.

"A woman was threatening Boss?" Makoto was the first on asking that.

"Yeah, she was going on about domestic abuse and taking the case to court and stuff" Said Morgana.

"So to summarize what you told us, Futaba is Boss's daughter and he's abusing her?" Makoto asks and I intervene.

"Domestic abuse? Yeah, right. Sojiro is not that kind of person" I said.

"I thought the same thing. He seems pretty upset when the woman accuses him of that" Said Akira.

"Anyone would be if they are accused of something they didn't do" Said Ryuji. "He seems nice and all, but I don't know him that well"

"Believe me. He's not that kind of guy. If he is, then I wouldn't be working for him" I said and my phone vibrates again. I take it out and receive a message from an unknown number. I check it out. "It's Alibaba"

"Really?" Naoki asks and everyone looks at my phone.

" _I've given you a Calling Card and told you the target's name. You should be ready for this. Why aren't you doing it?_ " He asks. " _I told you I'd help you if you stole her heart. What seems to be the hold up? I also said I'd report your identity to the police if you didn't help me. Are you okay with that? I'm serious here_ "

"What a selfish person," Said Yusuke.

"He thinks he can boss us around like that" Said Naoki. "We are not his toys"

"Well, he does have information on us..." Said Makoto.

"Anyways, this Futaba he's talking about have a Palace? If so, we'll need keywords to get in" Said Ryuji. "Try messaging him about 'em"

"It's worth trying, I guess" I said and replay him. " _I actually need information about my target_ "

" _What kind of information?_ " He asks me.

" _I want to know who I'm stealing from. Also, why do you want me to steal this person's heart? The name is not enough, I need more information_ "

" _I can't tell you_ " He replays and that makes me a little angry.

" _Why? And why are you hiding? Let's meet up and talk about it face to face_ "

" _I have reasons for not being able to go out... That's why I'm contacting you like this. Wait, I get it. You steal people's hearts directly... That might make things difficult. Extremely difficult. Hold on. I'm thinking..._ "

"He's jumping to conclusions" Said Naoki. We wait for him to send a message. After a couple of minutes, he talks.

" _Ok. It's a shame, but I'm calling this deal off. Stop looking into Futaba Sakura. Forget this ever happened. I won't report you to the police either, don't worry. Sorry for taking your time. Now if you'll excuse me..._ "

"Wait... What?" I said and try to replay.

" _What? Why?_ "

" _I said the deal's off! We're never going to speak again. Don't expect me to contact you anymore either_ " He wrote. I try to make him talk but all I get was an error message again.

"... What did just happened?" I ask.

"He just shut the whole operation down" Said Ann.

"This doesn't make any sense" Said Morgana. "Not only can Alibaba not go out, but he won't let us meet Futaba either?"

"Well, it's none of our business now. We can't contact him anymore" Said Ryuji. That was true, but I couldn't let that go so easily. He got scare all of the sudden.

"I know but... That's so weird" I said.

"What do we do about Medjed? We won't be able to get Alibaba to help us with them now" Ann was right. We have to deal with Medjed.

"Maybe they were just prankin' us" Said Ryuji with calm. "They made that huge declaration, but they ain't done nothing since. I bet we got 'em freaked out"

"You mean they backed out because they're afraid we'll change their hearts?" Morgana asks him.

"Yup. And now it'd just make 'em look lame if they came out and apologized!"

"... I don't know. I'm still nervous about it. They are hackers. I wouldn't back out that easily if I were them" Said Naoki.

"True" I agreed with him. "We can't just leave it be"

"Don't worry too much. They are just scared of us. I guess with Alibaba and Medjed outta the picture, can we just say this case is closed?"

"... Well... Maybe if Alibaba back out that easily, maybe Medjed will do the same eventually" Naoki sigh.

"... I don't know" I sigh. "Well, I do want to relax a little. This was a little stressing"

"Oh yeah, remember Kaneshiro's Treasure? Prepare to have your minds blown!" Ryuji yelled. "We got one hundred and fifty thousand yen out of it!"

"Shut... up. For real!?" Naoki's eyes widen. "Wait? Kaneshiro? The guy that had a change of heart? What was his treasure like?"

"A golden briefcase" I said

"Woah! That's awesome!"

"We can really go all out with that kinda money!" Said Ann.

"Yeah! Let's make up for what happened at the fireworks festival! We gotta go eat something fittin' for the Phantom Thieves' worldwide debut!" Ryuji was too excited just like everyone else. I was too, but not that much.

"Where would be good...?" Ann asks.

"Ooh, how 'bout sushi!? I could really go for some eel too!" Ryuji suggests.

"The best method is to fill yourself on ginger before beginning to eat sushi. That is my master technique" Said Yusuke.

"There's no need to do that, Yusuke" I said. "Don't do it"

"I'm all for sushi!" Said Morgana.

"Me too. I want the most expensive" Said Akira. "We have money after all"

"All right! We'll go tomorrow night!"

After that everyone leaves and I stay at home alone with Yusuke. We were pretty excited about tomorrow. Yusuke couldn't hide his excitement and I hide it a little, but I still had a little smile on my face. It was inevitable that we start talking about it shortly after.

"Sushi... It's been a while" I said. "I would've preferred a buffet too"

"We could've brought it up, but sushi is a fine option as well"

"Yeah, it is..." There was a little silence, a little awkward silence. Or so I thought because I had nothing else to talk about besides the fact that we are going for sushi tomorrow. I got a little nervous that the both of us were there, quiet and doing nothing. I thought about anything to say and my mind brought the painting. "So... That painting from the other day... Is it done?"

"Oh, well... I haven't had the time to finish it" Yusuke admits. "I actually wanted to ask you something"

"... What is it?" I was a little scared to ask, but I did anyway.

"Can you wear your yukata again?" He asks and it was a pretty normal request. "I need you to pose for me to finish"

"Oh... I see..."

"Is it too much?"

"No, no, I'll do it"

"Really?"

"Yeah, I want to see that painting done so... I'll be your model" I said it. I agreed with him without a second thought. It was when I put on the yukata that I realize what I was doing and start having a second thought about it. "Why?" I think. It was a very good question, but I couldn't answer that. Then Akira appears in my mind and our conversation we had before... Was it true then? No, it can't be. I'm just agreeing to his request, it was nothing to be that worried about. I push that thought aside and help him with the painting. I sit down in front of him while he faces the canvas. He looks at me, then at the painting and take one of his brushes. I sit still for almost half an hour, I saw him painting so calmly, so determined, so focus and quiet. I haven't noticed it, but his looks like a different person when painting, he looks so serious now. I found myself staring at him and then before I could even realize our eyes met and we stare into each other's eyes. I don't know how long we stare at each other, but the moment I blink was when I was brought back to reality.

"S-Sorry, I got distracted" He apologies

"It's okay... Is it done?"

"Yes. You can look at it" He said and show it to me. It was improved. The black and red painting depicted a woman wearing a yukata, from it a field of red and black flowers come to life. Her red hair was like a waterfall of blood blowing in the air. She was walking gracefully on a white road, her footprints were red, like a pool of blood. Her face was beautiful, she was smiling and her eyes were shut. The yukata was blowing with the wind and when I stare at that field of red and black flowers it was like I was staring at an actual field. It felt "alive" somehow. The woman's smile was cheerful, but I notice a sadness tone too.

"Yusuke... This is beautiful"

"Thanks... I haven't come up with a name yet... But I'm glad that I have done it... All thanks to you. You give this inspiration. It might look gruesome for some because of the blood, but this painting represents life and beauty, but also death and sadness. She's happy, yet sad. She's creating life... through her blood and clothes, at the cost of her own well-being. You were a fine model, Kagura. Thank you" Yusuke bow to me and I blush a little.

"... You are... welcomed" I said and avoid looking at him in the eyes.

"You should be happier. Your beauty did this"

"Beauty...? You think I'm beautiful?"

"Of course I do. But not only physically. You are a strong and caring woman" I didn't know how to answer to that. He compliments me too much and I found myself unable to answer, to speak. I like to hear that... I actually love it. I don't tend to hear that and it felt really good. I blush too much at this point and he notices it. "Kagura? Are you alright? Your face's all red"

"I-I'm okay. Ju-Ju-Just... Th-Thank you so much" I look down and cover my face, I didn't want him to look at me. "I'm... happy" I whisper.

"What?"

"Nothing! Just nothing! If we are done then we should have dinner to celebrate that beautiful painting" I suggest and he agrees.

"Well then... But there's nothing in the fridge"

"Then just instant noodles will do... What do you say?"

"That's fine by me. Let's celebrate. I'll prepare the water"

"And I'll go changing," I said and go to my room, close my door and proceed to take out my yukata. While I did I hear Kuma Lisa talking to me.

" _ **I see that you are trying to ignore a very important fact,**_ " She said and to my surprise, Yhoundeh joins the conversation.

" _ **You fall for the kid, huh? He's not that bad... Why are you being so stubborn? Stand up and tied him before someone else do** "_

" _ **Tied him?**_ " Kuma Lisa ask. " ** _Are you suggesting that she should kidnap him?_** "

" _ **Not necessarily... She should stand up and declare her intentions before is too late... Whatever comes later is up to her... That stare contest was amusing**_ " Said Yhoundeh with a chuckle. " ** _What are you waiting for?_** "

"... Nothing. There's nothing going on, it's just my imagination. And let's be honest, me and Yusuke? Don't make me laugh" I argue with them.

" ** _Is something wrong with him?_** " Kuma Lisa ask me. " ** _He's very handsome and a gentleman. He's an artist, a fellow Persona User, and a Phantom Thief. You two are living together too. You two supported each other and on top of that enjoy each other's company... And let's be honest here... You can't take your eyes off him_** "

"What?" I ask. "That not true!"

" ** _Oh, come on! You were eating him with your eyes!_** " Yhoundeh exclaim. " ** _We both know you will not last long before doing something really stupid. The question is, how long will you last telling yourself you don't love that boy? Still, Love for me is just an excuse for people to engage in the sexual act... This isn't that different_** "

" ** _You are not helping!_** " Kuma Lisa yell. " ** _Don't listen to her. She's just negative... But you should stop forcing yourself to deny your feelings. It seems you are drawn to him, despite hating him on the beginning... You bond with him grow deeper when you tell him a secret, you trust him and that trust became something else. You see him as someone you can truly rely on, someone you can tell everything and won't judge you, someone, that will stay by your side... Someone that cares about you. I won't stop you, but keep in mind that the more you deny yourself... You'll end up hurting yourself and maybe worst_** "

" ** _In other words... I don't want to turn into your disgusting Shadow_** " Said Yhoundeh. " ** _You better don't fuck this up. If you do I'll found a way to stab you from the inside and I don't care about the damage_** " They both disappear and I stay alone in my room in complete silence.

"Even them are giving me a hard time... I don't even know what I really want" I sigh and stare at myself in a mirror I had hanging on my wall. "Do I really like Yusuke that much? Or I'm just going through a phase? I've never felt this way... The more I think about it... The more it hurt when I try to forget, to deny it. Maybe it is... But why? It hasn't been that long since I meet him... Can someone develop this kind of feeling so fast and out of nowhere? Maybe that "Love at first sight" bullshit is true after all... But I refuse to admit it. I better wait and see what happen... I just hope I didn't fall for him. That would ruin our dynamic in the group..."

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

 _ **7/24 Sunday**_

Today we went to have our celebration dinner that we couldn't have before, mostly because we were short on money and a lot happen since the last time we celebrate. Now that we have nothing to worry about (at least for the most part), we can enjoy a nice food together. We are a big group now, that surprises me quite a lot. Anyway, we were now eating Sushi together and we were enjoying ourselves.

"Man, the flounder is outta this world! That texture..." Ryuji describes his food with enjoyment.

"I-I don't see any prices listed here..." Yusuke expresses his fear. He was worrying too much about the prices.

"Don't you worry about it, Yusuke. We have the money for it" Said Kagura.

"But-"

"I said don't worry. Just enjoy it. That's why we are here for"

"I can't believe this sushi is really out of this world... It's like I'm in heaven" Naoki eat slowly, savoring every single bite.

"Sooo gooooood..." Ann was enjoying it too. We all were blowing away by this sushi.

"Hey, is the fatty tuna ready yet?" Morgana asks from inside my bag.

"Hold your horses... And don't talk!" Ryuji shut him up.

"Calm down, Morgana" I whisper to him. "I almost ready"

"By the way, Akira..." Makoto looks at me. "Is Boss really the kind of person who would abuse someone?" That question was brought back again.

"That again?" Ryuji ask

"I can't get it off my mind. Especially if it means he could be taken to court... What kind of person is he? Do you truly believe he'd do such a thing?"

"To be honest, he doesn't seem like the abusing type and believe me, I know that kind," I said. I remember back at home I had a neighbor that really often abuse his son. He hit him everytime he had a chance. He was taken by the police, but still, I couldn't forget him. We all knew about it, but none of us say a damn thing. The kid is the one that ends up speaking up to the police. He had enough courage to stand and ask for help. "Still, he's pretty strict... Then again, I'm on probation so he has to show that he's the one on control of the situation"

"True. I know Sojiro enough to know he wouldn't do such a thing" Said Kagura and her word has more weight. She knows him more than all of us.

"But... If it's really true about the abuse, he'd be a no-good jerk pretendin' to be a guardian" Said Ryuji.

"Actually..." Ann speaks up and we all stare at her. "I got curious after our conversation... and checked his name in the Nav"

"Sounds to me like there wasn't a hit" Said Makoto and Ann confirm it.

"Right. Anything beyond this is his family's problem. We probably shouldn't get any more involved"

"I told you he wasn't that kind of person" Said Kagura. "Still, he's really stressed now. I went to work this morning and he asks me if Akira told me about all this"

"What did you say?" Naoki asks her.

"The truth... half of it. So I recommend him to take things slow. Then he told me he'll close the shop sooner and take a walk to clear his mind... It's weird that he takes an advice from me. He usually ignores them"

"Good, he needs to calm down a little. He yells a lot lately" I said and keep eating sushi, but Ryuji had a revelation.

"Wait... You think Alibaba could be Boss's ex-wife!? He musta cheated on her, and that's where Futaba came from" He ask and we all remain quiet while staring at him with a disappointed look on our faces.

"Doubtful," Said Ann.

"Your imagination has run rampant" Said Makoto.

"That's worthy of a soap opera plot twist" Said Naoki

"How foolish" Said Yusuke.

"Nice try there Ryuji" Said Kagura.

"I like the idea... But it's too absurd to take it seriously" I said and with that, we all bring Ryuji down.

"Still, this is delicious" Said Yusuke. "I've never experienced anything quite like it before" He takes a roll with his sticks and look at Kagura. "You should try this one"

"Really?" Kagura asks and Yusuke got closer to her. Kagura opens her mouth and Yusuke put the roll in her mouth. She ate it and couldn't hide her happiness. "This is so good! I can't believe something like this exist" We all look at the scene before our eyes and I bet I wasn't the only one to wonder if Kagura was aware of what she just did. She looks like a different person all of the sudden. She looks at us and we all look away almost immediately. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing" We all say in unison. We keep eating our sushi.

"I didn't imagine I would be in a place like this eating sushi. This is one of the best days of my life right now" Naoki keep eating. "I wish this day never ends"

"Man, and it's all thank to us bein' the Phantom Th- Argh!" As soon as I hear Ryuji's sentence I step on his feet.

"Shut up!" I whisper and luckily enough, no one heard a thing, only Ryuji's yell.

"Are you alright kid?" Ask the chef.

"Ye-Yeah... It's just that... This sushi is the best, th-thank you" He said and the chef turns around. "Th-That hurt!"

"It was me or Kagura's kick to the crotch! Choose wisely. Learn to shut up, Ryuji"

"So-Sorry" Shortly after that we all finish the sushi, take the fatty tuna for Morgana and leave. We all were at the station, changing train to go back home for the day when our group stumbles across someone... Goro Akechi. I actually, he called us from the back. More specifically, Makoto.

"Niijima-san! What are you doing here?" I didn't know they knew each other. That was kinda shock.

"Akechi-kun!" Said Makoto and we all turn around to face Akechi, except Yusuke and Kagura who were having an unrelated conversation.

"Oh! You're the ones from the TV station... And a couple new faces" He said to Ryuji, Ann, Yusuke, Kagura and Naoki, and then look at me. "And you, I found you from time to time on the subway... Could it be that you're friends of Niijima-san?"

"Maybe" I taunt him a little. Yusuke and Kagura turn around.

"Do you know this guy?" Yusuke asks.

"It's nice to meet you. My name is Akechi. Glad to make your acquaintance, Yusuke Kitagawa" Akechi spell out Yusuke's full name and that catch us all off guard. Especially Yusuke.

"How do you know my name?"

"Well, because I'm a psychic, of course" Akechi smile at us. "Haha, I'm only joking. In truth, I'm a rookie detective. You're a former pupil of Madarame, right?"

"Indeed" Yusuke answer his question.

"And you are Misaki Hanazawa's twin brother, Naoki Hanazawa" He looks at Naoki.

"... Yes"

"And you... Well, well, well. But is none other than Kagura Kobayashi. I have some questions to ask you later"

"... And why's that?"

"I have actually just recently joined the investigation team looking into the Phantom Thieves. Did you see that Medjed has declared war on them?" He said and that was an odd thing to say.

"War?" I ask.

"Their website was updated just a moment ago" He said and we all check out our phones

"For real!?" Ryuji was the first on entering. "English again...!?"

"... Wait, what!?" Ann was surprised. I couldn't look at the website because it was still loading.

"What's it say!?" Ryuji asks, really agitated.

"Hm... You seem very agitated about this" Said Akechi.

"Those two are huge fans of the Phantom Thieves" Said Kagura so casually. "They won't shut up about it"

"Hm, I don't know how wise it is to be a fan of groups like them" Said Akechi.

"What is with these comments?" Makoto ask. She was a little defensive now. We all were.

"My apologies. I didn't mean to butt into your conversation. But I must say, this is an interesting group" He said and look at each of us. "Prosecutor Niijima's sister, an ex-pupil of Madarame, the twin brother of a mentally unstable serial killer, a few Shujin Academy students and..." He stares at Kagura. "A robbery victim... You seem the most interesting of them all because of your circumstances before and after that assault"

"..." Kagura looks down and I could hear he cursing. Was she assaulted in the past? She didn't mention that to me. In fact, almost everyone looks a little surprise, except Yusuke and Makoto. That tells me they knew about it.

"And to top it all, it seems you're all connected to the Phantom Thieves. Perhaps you have better intel than I do" Then Akechi look at me. "Ah, yes. I wanted to ask you something... Regarding this whole Medjed commotion... If you were one of the Phantom Thieves, what would you do?"

"Me?" I ask him and he nodded. He waits for my answer and I give it to him. "They just want attention. I'll ignore them. The Phantom Thieves only have an specific target. It'll be foolish to get involved in this" Actually that's what Kagura believe is the best option. My personal opinion is completely opposite. I want to show them that they can't mess with us only to gain fame.

"That is unexpected... Only a small minority of people believe that is the best decision" He said

"Sorry to disappoint, we're just normal high school kids" Said Ryuji. "If anything, we wanna hear what you gotta say, Mr. Detective"

"My profiling of the Phantom Thieves has led me to believe they are a group of juveniles" Said Akechi. "They have a relative amount of free time after school, and a hideout to slip away to. Furthermore, considering Takeshi Ogata was their first target, it seems they began activity around June of 2012, four years ago... Although, I think they weren't a group when they started. I believe it was a single individual, but as the time when by, more members joined. In a way, all I've just said about the Phantom Thieves coincides with the group you have here. Especially since Kobayashi had really strong ties with the first target"

"What, you are going to report us?" Kagura asks him. "You are just jumping to conclusions"

"I wonder if that's true... I didn't say I was being suspicious of you at all"

"That's good to hear" I said pretending to be calm, but on the inside, I was really nervous. Akechi was saying all this to us... He suspect us and he was lying about it right in front of our faces. I knew it.

"Hahaha, it seems you're not perturbed in the slightest" Akechi chuckled. "You really are an intriguing person. I lack your calm mannerism... But don't you think my deduction is an interesting one?"

"It's good so far... Too bad is wrong" I make conversation.

"I bet we'd make a great team if we worked together" Akechi smile at me. "I'm curious to hear what you have to say. You seem to be a wealth of information"

"Looks can be deceiving. I assure you I know less than you think"

"We'll see about that... If you help me, in return, I'll teach you how to make deductions"

"Sounds like a cool deal" In that moment I felt that my bond with Akechi grows a little bit. It seems he trusts me a little and he seems like a really nice guy, but there's something about him that still bothers me.

"Well, this has been a valuable point of reference for me. I hope to see you all again" Before leaving, Akechi stare at Kagura. "Maybe one of this days we can talk too... I have some questions regarding the first target of the Phantom Thieves that maybe you can answer" And then he left. We all sigh in unison.

"... For a moment I thought he was going to report us or something" Said Naoki, clearly scared.

"What was that about?" Ann asks

"Do you think he's ascertained our true identities?" Yusuke ask me.

"I don't know. It seems like he really suspects us. After all, we might fit the profile. A group of juveniles with a lot of free time... On top of that, we all have some kind of connection with almost every single major target" I said.

"Also..." Ryuji looks at Kagura. "He calls you an assault victim. What did he mean by that?"

"It's a long story," Said Kagura. "It was nothing... If Akechi really is suspecting us, then I believe I'm the first suspect he'll try to interrogate. He say it right in my face"

"We need to be more cautious from now on," Said Makoto and Ann show us her smartphone.

"More importantly, things are getting serious with Medjed!" She said. "I'll read it for you... " _ **We are disappointed in the people of Japan and their belief in the Phantom Thieves' false justice. Hence, we shall proceed with our plan to cleanse Japan. This process will commence on August 21st. As a result, the Japanese economy shall suffer devastating damages. However, we are magnanimous. We will give the Phantom Thieves one final opportunity to repent. As proof of this repentance, we demand that they reveal their identities to the public. We will attack if these demands remain unmet. The future of Japan rests with the Phantom Thieves. We are Medjed. We are unseen. We will eliminate evil**_ " ... That's all" She finishes reading the whole message.

"Well... This really went out of hands pretty quickly" Said Naoki

"Sounds bad..." Said Ryuji.

"In other words, if we don't unmask ourselves, Medjed will attack Japan... correct?" Yusuke ask.

"Yes, they are desperate for attention," Said Kagura.

"What are we gonna do about this?" Ann ask

"If only we could get in contact with Alibaba" Makoto mention Alibaba and I thought about our only clues so far.

"... We might've to confront Sojiro about this once and for all" I said.

"It looks like it's our only option now" Kagura sigh and agrees with me.

"Anyways, it's too damn hot out here. Why don't we go to Leblanc? We can talk more over there" Ryuji suggest and we went straight to Leblanc.

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

Once we were back at Leblanc, we review all our options so far and none of them were of use. Looks like our online option was to rely on Alibaba. We couldn't deal with Medjed ourselves, they were hackers and it will prove difficult, even if we found a member and steal his heart. It won't change a thing.

"How do we get in touch with Alibaba?" Ann ask. "We can't send him a message"

"... This may sound rough... But if we manage to steal Futaba's heart, he may attempt to reach to us once more" Yusuke suggests. It was a good plan, but I wasn't so sure about it.

"But we don't have any clues on what her keywords are" Said Morgana.

"And even if we knew them... Can we change her heart? I doubt she's even worth trying. She's not the kind of person we target. That's not how we work" I express my dislike.

"True" Akira agree with me.

"Dammit, Alibaba! Where the hell are you!?" Ryuji yell.

"Calm down, Ryuji. Let's calm down and think a little more. We'll come up with a solution sooner or later" Said Naoki and that answer to our problems was Makoto.

"Actually, he may be closer than we think" She suggests.

"Huh?" Ryuji ask.

"Hypothetically speaking, even if we stole Futaba's heart... How would Alibaba know that the deed has been done? Would he truly be able to discern that just from cell phone messages?"

"... You mean he'd have to meet her in person?" Morgana asks and she nodded.

"Alibaba was able to deliver the calling card here. On top of that, he can check on Futaba's condition. However, according to the circumstances he put forth, he's unable to meet with us. This leads me to believe that it would be bad for him if we were to see the two of them together. It seems to me... Alibaba may, in fact, be Futaba herself" Makoto suggest and everyone, me included, weren't expecting that conclusion.

"So she's asking that we steal her own heart?" I ask. "That doesn't make any sense"

"Maybe she wants us to save her from the scars of her abuse...?" Ann suggest. "That would be hard to ask directly"

"I'd like to meet with Boss..." Said Makoto. "He lives nearby, right?"

"Yes, I bet that he must be at home now. He doesn't go out at night" I said. "Still... Isn't a little too late? What are we going to tell him? What will be our excuse?"

"Good question..." Makoto thinks about it for a second and looks at the fatty tuna in Akira's hands. "We'll say this take-out sushi is a gift for him"

"But... my fatty tuna!" Morgana whine.

"I'll buy you more later," I said and we all went to Sojiro's house


	43. Going inside the Pyramid

**_Chapter 42: Going inside the Pyramid_**

 **Kagura's POV**

We decided to pay a visit to Sojiro. It was a little late but I was sure he'll be awake. I was the first to arrive and as soon as I did I ring the bell and wait for him to answer, but to my surprise, he wasn't answering. We wait several minutes and ring the bell again, but nothing. Looks like he wasn't at home, which is weird. He's not the kind of guy who goes out at night.

"He's not answering" I state the obvious.

"But the lights are on though..." Makoto points out. I didn't pay attention to the lights until now.

"Think he's nappin'?" Ryuji asks.

"Maybe," Said Naoki. "Maybe he's a heavy sleeper"

"Maybe but even Boss would've woken up with how many times we've rung this doorbell" Said Ann

"I would think Futaba would have answered by now if she were here too" Said Morgana.

"Or maybe... She's inside, but is ignoring us" Naoki point out. "If Futaba is really there then she must know it's us. I mean, we were assuming she's Alibaba so she must be ignoring us on purpose"

"That may be true" Said Akira. Yusuke looks at the gate in front of the house and pushes it. The gate was open from the beginning and we didn't even notice it.

"Ah, the gate is unlocked" He state.

"Dude, you can't go openin' other people's stuff like that" Said Ryuji.

"But look. The door seems to be slightly open as well" Makoto point at the door and it was in fact open. "I wonder why. That's rather careless"

"That's weird. Maybe he forgot to close it" I said and we hear the thunders. It was about to rain. We didn't even pay attention to the big clouds above our heads. We cloud feel the wind blowing rather violently.

"Whoa, it sounds like it's going to rain..." Said Morgana. "We should get inside!"

"Do you think that's OK?" Makoto asks.

"Sojiro will understand. After all, we come to see him anyway" I said and enter Sojiro's house. As soon as I step in I notice that the hallway was completely dark, only the light of the living room was on, alongside with his TV.

"Hello, sir?" Makoto asks with nervousness. It starts raining outside and we all get inside and close the door. "He's not out, is he?" Makoto ask me. "The door ahead is open and I can hear the TV"

"I don't know. If he's out then maybe he went to buy something. Or maybe he falls sleep in front of the TV" I said. "He once almost falls sleep in the Cafe"

"I hope he didn't pass out or something... I mean, Boss is kinda old, ain't he?" Ryuji asks.

"Not that old, but he's there" I said. "Don't say that in front of his face though"

"I'm a bit worried. Should we go in and check on him?" Ann asks.

"I'll go," I said and walk through the hallway. Akira follow me in silence and then the rest of the group. We all slowly walk to the end of the hallway and then, all of the sudden, the lights went off... followed by a scream coming from upstairs. Makoto, who was behind me, grab my arm as soon as she hear the scream.

"A scream!?" She said. "What was that!?"

"I don't know!" I said and we hear a knock upstairs. There was something or someone in the house. "What was that?"

"Let's get out of here, please?" Ann asks, she was getting really scared. "Can we just go?"

"What're you freakin' out for?" Ryuji asks her.

"I-I-I'm not freaking out!" Ann yell

"Could it be Alibaba...? I mean, Futaba?" Morgana ask

"It could be..." Said Akira. "For now let's go back to the door. I think I have a flashlight app on my phone" He said and walk to the entrance with the rest of the group while searching for the flashlight in his phone. Makoto stays with me grabbing my arm as if her life depends on it. Which I found both annoying and funny at the same time.

"Um... Makoto... You are grabbing my arm" I state the obvious. I could tell that she was about to lose it. I found it really funny, so funny that in fact, I wanted to make a joke or scare her more but now it wasn't the time to joke around.

"Sorry... but can I hold your hand? You know that I don't really like this kind of settings" Makoto ask and before I could respond she grab my hand really tight.

"S-Sure... Calm down" I walk with her to the door and suddenly stop when we hear something coming from upstairs.

"Eek!" Makoto let go of my hand and grab me by my arm again, hugging it to dear life.

"Makoto! Let go of me!" I said quietly.

"I can sense someone's presence..." Said Yusuke and I stare at him.

"You are not helping, Yusuke!"

"I can't take this anymore! I'm leaving!" She said but her legs give in and she was about to fall. Luckily for her, she was grabbing my arm, dragging me down with her. "M-My legs..."

"Makoto! Get a hold of yourself! You really are that... that... h-huh?" At that moment I felt really cold as someone touch my shoulder from behind. I feel goosebumps and a feeling of dread go down my spine. Me and Makoto turn around and see a Shadow in the darkness. The light of the thunder reveal the shadow's form briefly, but it was so fast that I couldn't see it clearly. The only thing it did was scaring Makoto so badly that she started screaming. That alone makes me jump, but it wasn't enough to make me yell in terror like Makoto.

"Aaaaaaah!" Makoto, and the person behind us, yell simultaneously. Makoto falls to the ground and starts hugging my leg while I almost trip. The person that was behind run upstairs. I couldn't see it really well but I could tell it was a girl. It was Futaba.

"Goddamit!" I yell and try to get Makoto off my leg.

"Alibaba! Futaba!" Ann tries to run after her but she almost trips. "Come back here!"

"I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry! PleasesavemeSis..." Makoto starts whining and I try to not laugh at her while at the same time trying to calm her down.

"Makoto! Calm down! It was Futaba, not a fricking ghost!" I said.

"Whoa... She's falling apart" Naoki nailed it, nobody could have described it better. Makoto was so scared that she was falling apart. Our luck couldn't have been worse, but then we hear Sojiro at the other side of the door.

"Are you OK, Futaba!?" He scream.

"Crap, he's home!" Said Ryuji.

"No shit, Sherlock! Help me out with Makoto and- WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU ALL GOING!? DON'T YOU DARE LEAVING ME ALONE WITH HER!" I yell but it was useless. They all run to the next room, leaving me right in front of the door with Makoto grabbing my leg. There's no need to say that this position was a little weird and on top of that I had to explain everything to Sojiro which is going to be a pain in the ass. Sojiro finally opens the door and point at me.

"Who the hell are you!? Don't move!" He didn't recognize me because it was so dark that my face was not visible at all. Sojiro takes a flashlight that was right on top of the desk next to the door. He points the flashlight at us and turns it on, revealing our faces. I immediately raise my hands, like if I was just surrendering to the cops or something.

"Kagura!?" He asks. "What're you doing in my house?"

"Umm... Surprise...?" I said with a little smile, Sojiro then looks at Makoto, still hugging my leg. He gives me a weird look. "I-I-I can explain this" Makoto raise her head and saw Sojiro, she blinked and try to calm down and explain herself.

"Oh... G-Good... evening, sir... We... didn't mean... to intrude..." She said.

"Niijima-san!" Sojiro turns off the flashlight. "Why are you hugging Kagura's leg like that? Don't tell me you are..."

"We are what?" Makoto asks and I got an idea of what Sojiro was thinking. I start to panic. "No! No, no, no, we are not. This is just a simple misunderstanding. We are friends!"

"... Friends nowadays get that close to each other...?"

"Makoto... Let go of my leg now..." I look at her with an angry face and she immediately stands up. Akira and the rest came out of the next room and I stare at them for leaving me behind, they all ignore me, of course. Ryuji was having troubles to ignore my stare, he was a little scared and he should because I was going to have a talk with them when all this was over.

"You kids are here too...!?" Sojiro ask, surprised. I don't blame him, we were a pretty big group.

"Um, we brought you some sushi, but nobody answered when we rang the bell... The door was unlocked too" Ann try her best to explain the situation. "We could hear the TV though, so we got worried you might have passed out or something..."

"The door was unlocked?" Sojiro asked.

"Yes" Said Akira. "That's really reckless of you" Sojiro sigh and scratch his head.

"... I do that sometimes. Guess I'm getting old..." Sojiro whispers. Makoto takes this chance to start asking about Futaba.

"Um, excuse me. There's something we'd like to ask" She began.

"Hm? You wanna ask me?"

"There's someone else living here... isn't there?"

"Yeah... My daughter" He said reluctantly. He got everyone's attention.

"Could she be Futaba Sakura...?" She asks and then Sojiro stare at Akira.

"You told Niijima-san too!?"

"..." Akira looks away.

"Hey, don't ignore me!" Sojiro yell at him

"U-Um... is there any way we could meet with Futaba-san?" Makoto asks. "I think we may have frightened her earlier, so we'd like to apologize if at all possible..."

"We frightened her?" I ask. "She scared the hell out of you!" Makoto stomp my feet harder than I was expecting. "Ow!"

"Anyway, is it possible we get to see her?" She insists.

"Well... that's..." Sojiro didn't know what to say. He clearly didn't want us near her.

"Is she sick?" Makoto asks.

"No, it's not like that" Sojiro answer, he look at us and sigh. "I don't want you all getting the wrong idea... I shouldn't have kept this a secret from you, Akira. And definitely not from you, Kagura. You would've found out about her sooner or later. But her situation is... complicated. Let's talk at my shop. She'll hear us if we stay here" We all followed Sojiro to the shop. I was the last one on getting out of the house, but before I did I look at the stairs and for a brief moment, almost a second, I made eye contact with Futuba. I got to see her for a brief moment before she hides again. I sigh and went to the shop with everyone. Sojiro took a chair and sit in the middle of the shop with all of us surrounding him. He looked nervous, he didn't know where to begin to explain. After a moment of silence, he speaks up. "Now, where do I start...?" He asks himself.

"Maybe from the beginning would be good" Said Naoki.

"Well... Futaba's mother and I knew each other long before Futaba was born" Sojiro narrate. "Her mother was a bit of a weird one, but we got along well for some reason... She was sharp-witted, somewhat stern, a little socially inept, but always carefree... She truly was a great woman"

"I see..." Said Makoto quietly.

"When something piqued her interest, that'd be all she focused on. She always worked deep into the night. I thought that'd change after her kid was born, but having Futaba didn't do much. Even with that, she always took good care of her" Sojiro told us. He really cared for Futaba's mother.

"Working and watching over a child at the same time sound rough..." Said Ann. It remind me when my mom was taking care of me. She often sacrifices a lot of things for me, things that I wasn't aware of at the time, just for me.

"I guess raising Futaba alone turned out to be tough on her in more ways than one..." That sentence makes us all question some things. Sojiro wasn't the father, what he just said pretty much make it clear, but Akira still asks the question we wanted to do.

"Alone? What about her father?" He asks and Sojiro shakes his head.

"There wasn't a father" He replied. That makes me think about a lot of possibilities about what happened but I put all that aside and listen.

"Do you mean he...?" Yusuke asks.

"Well, there probably was one. I didn't know him though. She never said a word about him, either" Sojiro explains. "She was single when she gave birth to Futaba, and single when she raised her. They were an ordinary, loving family. You could really tell how much she cared for Futaba" Sojiro sigh. "But one day, she left... leaving Futaba behind"

"She left...?" I asks.

"She... committed suicide," Sojiro said with great pain and we all could tell. He didn't even want to say that and none of us was expecting this at all.

"No way..." Said Naoki in disbelief.

"She threw herself into the street, right in front of Futaba's eyes..." He said and none of us could say a single word. We couldn't even imagine how Futaba must've felt in that exact moment. That was horrible.

"Shocking doesn't begin to describe that..." Said Makoto.

"That's gotta be devastating for a kid," Said Ryuji.

"Devastating is not even the word that can describe how Futaba must've felt" Said Naoki.

"So... Well, a lot happened after that, but I ended up taking custody of Futaba" Said Sojiro. "First, she was so depressed she... she wouldn't even talk to me"

"Was that because she couldn't get over her mother suicide...?" Ann asks

"That's understandable," Said Akira.

"I kept talking to her though, and she started opening up to me little by little. That's when I found out... Futaba blames herself for her mother's death" Sojiro said.

"What?" I ask, confused. "Why does she thinks that?"

"That part she's never told me" Sojiro shake his head. "I wanted to know what led her to believing that, but I decided not to rub salt in the wound. Then, a few months ago... She started getting really scared, even when nothing was happening. She'd say things like, "I hear voices..." and "Mom is looking at me..." I was really worried"

"Visual and auditory hallucinations," Said Yusuke.

"Could it be PTSD?" Naoki asks Sojiro.

"I don't know for sure. I wanted to take her to a doctor, but she refused. Even when I had a doctor come, she locked herself away in her room" Sojiro explains. "Since then, she's become what you'd call a shut-in. She won't take a single step outside the house, or even try to see other people"

"What about you?" I ask. "She must at least talk to you or even see you"

"She doesn't even let me come in her room" He said.

"That's pretty harsh..." Said Ryuji.

"Dealing with a Shut-in is hard" Said Akira.

"Futaba is, well, a unique girl" Said Sojiro.

"Like her mother?" I ask.

"You could say that" He nodded. "She's so quick-minded that conversations with her tend to jump from one topic to the next... It seems like she's always coming to conclusions in her head. There's a lot I don't get about her..." Sojiro made a pause and then resume. "So yeah... her situation is why I couldn't let you in my house," He said to Akira.

"I understand... Besides, the bed in the attic is more comfortable that it looks like, so I don't have a problem sleeping here" Akira joked.

"You liar," Said Morgana. "Last week you said that you hate that be-" Akira shake the bag with Morgana inside.

"Anyway... What Futaba needs is a safe place where nobody will threaten her. Somewhere she can be at ease" Said Sojiro. "That's why I won't do anything she doesn't want. I don't make her do anything she's unwilling to either... Then again, I know that's no way for her to live... It's all I can do though..."

"What does she want?" Akira asks.

"I don't know," Sojiro said in defeat. "She just asks me for things that she wants, like food or these complicated books... And that's all. So can you just... leave her be?" He asks us. We couldn't simply walk away from this but I decided to calm Sojiro down by agreeing with him.

"We won't ask more and maintain our distance," I said. "Don't worry"

"Thanks... I'm gonna head back then. You all better head home soon too" He said and leave the shop, but before closing the door he looks inside and talks to me. "Actually, Kagura... Can I talk to you for a sec?" He asks and I look at everyone else before following him outside. The rain didn't last long and it stopped while we were inside the shop. Sojiro closes the door and crosses his arms. He was tired and I could tell.

"What is it?"

"Well... I'm... sorry that I try to hide this from you. I didn't even know what I was trying to accomplish. It was foolish of me"

"It's okay"

"And... I suppose that you are going to tell this to your mother" Sojiro said with a defeated look on his face.

"I... wasn't planning to..." I said and I truly wasn't considering telling my mother about Futaba. But it would be really awkward if Futaba finally go out of the house and they met, Sojiro will have to explain all this again.

"I was planning on telling her, considering we are friends and all... but I couldn't bring the subject so... I decided to leave it"

"I won't tell her if you don't want me to... But she'll find out eventually. So it's up to you to tell her now or when you think is the right time. For now, I'll keep the secret for you. Don't worry"

"Thanks... Now, you should go back home. It's pretty late"

"Yes... See you tomorrow," I said goodbye to Sojiro and go back inside the shop...

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

After Sojiro leaves and took Kagura with her we all gather and decided to talk about the situation further. I wasn't expecting this at all, Futaba was someone that really needs help. I don't know how she must be feeling right now, but I can tell that if she doesn't receive help soon then it only will get worse.

"I feel awful for prying into his personal affairs" Said Makoto.

"No way in hell he's abusin' her" Ryuji point out. "But man, she must be having a really bad time"

"The reason why Futaba wants her heart stolen must be related to what happened to her mother" Said Ann.

"So she'd like to discard her feelings of pain, but can't do anything about it herself" Said Yusuke and start thinking. "Will that actually help her?" He looks at me, waiting for an answer.

"Honestly. I don't know" I said. "If we steal her heart she might feel better, but is really the way to help her?"

"If we can help her, we may be able to stand up to Medjed" Yusuke point out and he was right. Futaba was the only one who could help us with that right now.

"Hold on a sec. Do we even know if she has a Palace?" Ryuji asks and Kagura enters.

"That's a good question," She said. "If she doesn't have it, then we might have to search her Shadow in Mementos" Kagura take out her phone and enter the Nav. "Let's see... Name and location... Futaba Sakura, the girl that lives at Sojiro Sakura's house" She said and the Nav reacted. We all felt reality distorting a little as the App found a Palace.

"Candidate Found," Said the voice from the App.

"Whoa," Said Naoki with eyes wide open. "She really has one. I was starting to doubt it"

"So someone can have a Palace even if they're not evil?" Ann asks.

"It's possible. A Palace to exist need distorted desires, that doesn't mean the person has to be 100% evil" Kagura explain. Morgana gets out of Akira's bag.

"Just like she said, a Palace is the materialization of distorted cognitions brought about by strong desires... That's all. It just so happens that a lot of warped people turn out evil" Said Morgana

"You could say that 99% of the Palace I found are created by twisted persons" She points out

"Whoa, 99%? That's insane... Wait, why 99 though?" Naoki asks her. "There was a Palace that was different from the rest?"

"As a matter of fact... Yes, there is one" Kagura sigh. "But I'm leaving it alone"

"What?" Ryuji asks surprised and even I wasn't expecting that from her. "Why!?"

"This person is not evil or is making someone's life miserable, but I do have my eyes open in case something happen. At the first sign that something's not right, I'll jump in. Unlike the rest of the Palaces we got in, this one is small, so there's nothing to worry"

"A-Are you sure?" Makoto asks her. None of us were expecting Kagura to leave a Palace on its own. She must know this person really well, if not she wouldn't be leaving the Palace alone.

"Well, I trust judgment so I think we can give it a pass," Said Ryuji. "But if something does happen let us know"

"Don't worry. I wouldn't jump blindly to that Palace" She said.

"Well, the trains're gonna be shuttin' down for the night soon, se we should prolly be headin' home" Said Ryuji.

"We have to go to school in the morning, after all" Makoto points out.

"Ohhh, right. The urgent assembly" Ann said with disgust.

"Don't worry. After that we have vacations so is not a big deal" Naoki smile.

"An assembly? What about?" Yusuke asks. He wasn't from our school and he doesn't have school tomorrow so it was expected for him to look surprised. I'm more surprised that Kagura didn't mention him this.

"Well, Shujin has been garnering a lot of attention since..." Ann gives Naoki a look before continuing. "Misaki. We also have what happen to Kamoshida and now Medjed called out the Phantom Thieves. They wanted to remind us not to say arbitrary stuff online and add more fuel to the fire"

"We've gotta meet up for every goddamn little thing. Talk about a pain in the ass" Ryuji was angry and I could relate but it's not an assembly.

"I mean... it is our fault" Ann pointed out.

"Sorry about what my sister did..." Naoki looks down.

"Don't worry" Said Ann. "She was the one who picks a fight with us"

"Anyway, let's contact each other afterward" Said Makoto. Shortly after they all went back home, except for Naoki. He was still sitting in the booth, looking down, like if he was thinking about something important.

"Did something happen?" I ask. Naoki looks at me and sigh.

"Actually... Tomorrow I'm not going to the assembly" He said. I sit down with him in the booth.

"Why?"

"I'm going to see Misaki," He said. "I wanted to check on her. At least once a month, but lately I'm seeing her almost every week. So I think I should let you know that you won't be seeing me tomorrow at school. I will help out with the Palace though, don't worry about that. I won't let you down. You all help me, I have to repay that favor"

"... Are you nervous about Misaki?" I ask. He shakes his head slightly.

"She's fine. It's stupid for me to worry about her... But I can't help but think what's happening inside her head. She's... happy and all that. I mean, she's in a mental institution. It's better than jail, but... I don't know. I feel sorry for her"

"You don't want to see her?"

"No! I want to, but... I don't know if I should. We put her there and it breaks my heart seeing her there, smiling at me like if nothing happen at all while I try not to have a breakdown right in front of her. It's not easy. I'm worried about her, something that I thought it wouldn't be possible" I didn't know what to say, but for the looks of it, Naoki cares a lot about Misaki. I don't know if he should go by himself to visit Misaki, someone should go with him at least, but there no one who can accompany him. Nobody at all. He's on his own now.

"I think... You should go, at least not by yourself" I said. "I think... We all should go and pay her a visit. We can't let you go be yourself. We are here to support you, so we'll go with you... But not tomorrow. If I don't go to the assembly and Sojiro finds out he's going to kill me" I almost whisper the last part. Naoki chuckle.

"... You would do that for me?" He asks.

"Well, her Shadow try to kill us... But who didn't at this point?" I joked. "After we deal with Futaba's Palace we will go with you to pay her a visit. So don't worry" I pat him on the back and Naoki smile at me.

"... Thanks"

* * *

 _Kagura had her eyes closed for a moment. She felt like if she's been talking for days, maybe even more. She wanted this to end, but she needs to keep going, she couldn't stop right in the middle of everything but little by little it makes her head hurt for trying so hard to remember everything, every little thing that might be important. When she mentions Futaba's Palace, Sae's eyes widen as she stares at Kagura in disbelief._

 _"Futaba Sakura!?" She asks, very surprised by this revelation. "She had one of these Palaces? Hold on... While Medjed was targeting you, you chose to deal with someone completely unrelated to them?"_

 _"If you say it like that it sounds like if we were completely stupids... But we had to. She was our only hope to deal with them"_

 _"What you've said about the Sakura family generally falls in line with our investigation. It appears you aren't feeding us a false testimony"_

 _"Why would I? I have to reason to at this point" Kagura blink several times. "I'm doing my best to recall everything that had happened this year and even when all this started. I could lie to you, but if I did... Ugh..." Kagura grabs her head. It hurt a little. Sae starts panicking._

 _"Are you alright?" She asks. Kagura sighs and then look at her._

 _"Yes, just a brief pain. Nothing more..." She said and Sae calms herself._

 _"We've yet to determine how the Phantom Thieves dealt with Medjed, seeing as they are unseen... If you tell me something coherent, I may be more willing to believe you... Still, to think the Phantom Thieves would have their hideout in the home of Wakaba Isshiki's daughter... What a coincidence... No, perhaps it's fate..."_

 _"Fate... I don't believe in fate..." Said Kagura with a tired look._

 _"Regardless, we don't have time to waste. Continue with your story"_

* * *

 _ **7/25 Monday**_

 **Kagura's POV**

The assembly was rather quickly. So quickly in fact that I start to wonder why I even bother to be there in the first place. It was unnecessary and a complete waste of our time... Except for Yusuke that accompany us, wait for us at the entrance and then come back with us to the Cafe. He didn't care to wait at all which I'm actually surprised. He's very calm... I sometimes wonder what's going on inside his head. Anyway, we first went to Big Bang Burger, we buy food to eat and Leblanc. After we got to the Cafe we gather and have lunch together in the attic. I was starting Summer Vacation today so Sojiro gives me a couple of weeks off before going back to work. If he needs help, he'll drag Akira with him. I kinda feel bad for him, but not enough for me to actually care. He lives here so it was expected.

"Man, that assembly had me bored to tears," Ryuji said with a tired face. He was about to fall sleep in the assembly and I don't blame him. Even Makoto who insist on going was yawning at one point. I look at Yusuke then start to wonder something really odd.

"Yusuke... Why are you wearing your school uniform?" I ask. Not realizing that he had his school uniform.

"As you may know, I don't have too many clothes and your mother insist on doing the laundry so these are the only clothes I had to wear," He said with a little of shame. Mom got a couple of days off too so she decided to stay at home, insisting on doing laundry so Yusuke didn't have too many options.

"You really should buy a couple more outfits," Said Ann.

"That's what I told him before, but he's wasting his money on brushes, paints and more canvas... You should stop a little" I worry about him lately, but I can't change him. "If you keep this up you won't have any clothes to wear and I don't want to be the one that ends up buying you clothes"

"That won't be necessary"

"No, clothes are necessary. Or you'll rather walk naked?" I ask and before he could answer I stop him. I had the feeling that I knew what he was going to say. "Don't answer"

"It's true what they say. Artists are really odd" Naoki point out.

"Odd is not the word that would describe him though..." I sigh and Makoto pulls us all back to reality.

"Come now, we didn't gather here to make small talk, now did we?" She asks. "Let's get to Alibaba's case"

"Alright... What are your thoughts, Makoto?" I ask.

"Her hacking skills will be absolutely necessary if we wish to stand up to Medjed" Makoto was right about that. We didn't have anything to use against Medjed. Futaba was our only option. "Going by what she has told us, we may even be able to identify who they are"

"We'll have to trust in her skills for now then," Said Yusuke, not very please about it.

"Anyway, we found out that Futaba has a Palace... but like you said before, Kagura, anyone can have it as long they desires are distorted?" Ann asked me again and I nodded.

"That's right"

"She's so young though..." Makoto look down, feeling bad for her. I don't blame her, we all were. "The pain she's gone through must be the cause of her distortion"

"Maybe that has something to de with why she calls herself Alibaba" Ann suggested.

"According to the chief's story, Futaba has auditory and visual hallucinations, right?" Morgana asks.

"Yes, she does. Why?" Akira ask.

"There's a chance those are related to some important memories she's holding. It's hard to explain... but those memories may have been warped by the distortions" Morgana try to explain. I got the idea, but the only way to see if that's the case was to go inside her Palace.

"Basically we just gotta steal her Treasure, right?" Ryuji ask

"Well, yeah" Morgana nodded.

"It's our only way. We don't even have the luxury to wait" I said. "Are we all agree to take on Futaba's Palace?"

"Let's do this. She asked us to do it after all" Said Makoto. "This way we won't only help her, but to Boss too and in exchange, she will help us with Medjed"

"I agree" Said Yusuke

"I'll go. You don't even have to ask twice" Naoki shrug

"I've been wonderin' about how Boss said "A lot happened" after Futaba's mom died too" Ryuji point out that important detail.

"Hold on a second" Said Morgana. "Our investigation of her Palace may not go like anything we've done up to this point"

"Why's that?" Ryuji asks and we all pay attention to him.

"Having an individual asks you to steal their heart is an extremely irregular case" He said. "There's no telling what the Palace ruler's disposition will be like, or the distortion that'll be there. We may run into some unforeseen situations. Do you still want to go in?"

"The question is not if we want to, Morgana" I said. "There's no even a question... We need to do this. We've been through a lot and I spend most of my time as a Phantom Thief on my own so I think we are prepared for this... It won't be like Misaki's Palace, that's for sure"

"All right... Let's just make sure we're cautious"

"We will Morgana" I said and Ryuji take out his phone.

"Well, let's get crackin' on those keywords, huh?" He asks.

"The ones we have at the moment are "Futaba Sakura" and "Sojiro Sakura's house". We are almost done" Said Makoto.

"We got the "who" and the "where," so all that's left is the "What," right?" Ryuji looks at his phone. "... I can't really come up with a word though"

"Let us try going to their house first" Yusuke suggest.

"Maybe we could make Futaba have us a hint" Said Naoki.

"I doubt it, but it's worth trying" Said Akira.

"Boss is busy running the cafe, isn't he? We should make sure he doesn't suspect anything" Said Ann, worried that Sojiro might suspect.

"Don't worry. We'll tell him we are just going out. He's so busy he won't even care" I said and we went out of the cafe. We went straight to Sojiro's house and stay at the entrance, thinking on the last keyword, but we couldn't come up with anything at all.

"She's a shut-in, so we just gotta figure out "what," she thinks her house is" Ryuji suggests.

"... A fortress?" Naoki asks out loud but the App didn't respond. "I think it was good enough"

"If she can't get out, maybe a prison?" Ryuji asks but the App didn't respond either.

"Perhaps a labyrinth with an unknown exit?" Makoto asks but the App didn't respond.

"Maybe an oasis?" Ann ask, but the App still didn't respond.

"Nothing so far" Said Yusuke. "In that case, how about hell?" He ask but the App didn't respond to that either.

"Hell?" I ask him. "Seriously?"

"Who knows, it was worth trying"

"I guess..." I sigh.

"We don't have nearly enough clues..." Said Ann.

"How about we ask her?" Naoki suggests. "We can at least try and get something out of her"

"But what will we say to get in?" Makoto asks. Ryuji crosses his arms.

"Whaddya mean? We're sneakin' in" He said

"You have to be joking," Makoto said in disbelief. "Won't the door be locked for sure this time?" I could see that Makoto didn't like that idea at all. I didn't care about sneaking into a house. For some of my first targets, I had to get really close to them and sneak a lot.

"I'll take care of that" Said Morgana.

"And to let you take your time to open a single lock?" I sigh. "I'll do it. Last time I let you handle a locked door I was distracting Yusuke and it took you forever to get it done"

"... Wh-What happen...?" Naoki asks. "Did I miss something?"

"I'll tell you later" Said Akira. I walk to Akira and extend my hand. "What?" He asks me.

"I know you have a Lockpick. I don't have any so give me one" Akira roll his eyes and took one out of his pocket. "Always prepared, aren't you, Joker?" I smirk.

"Of course I am" He smile at me and I walk to the door.

"Wait!" Makoto stop me. "What if we run into Boss though? There's no way we'll be able to avoid his questions this time"

"That reminds me... When we are done with this I'll get you all for abandoning me with Makoto yesterday" I point at them all with the lockpick. "One way or the other"

"... Why are you lookin' at me?" Ryuji asks. I was pointing right at him with the lockpick.

"You were the first on running away. So you are the one at fault" I turn around and start working on the door. Makoto was behind me, a little scared that Sojiro might catch us.

"Don't worry, Makoto. Boss is at work now, so I think we should be fine" Said Ann. She was right. Sojiro won't leave the cafe unless it was absolutely necesary.

"Gettin' cold feet, Makoto?" Ryuji teases Makoto and smile. "Don't worry, it'll be nothing. We've gone through loads of shit like this already" Makoto sigh.

"I guess this is our only choice... I suppose Futaba did get in contact with Kagura. Perhaps she'll at least be willing to speak with her"

"Define speak," I said. "How much do you want to bet that she will only talk through the phone's chat?" I then open the door, quicker than expected. "There... done. Easy" I walk in and take the stairs. "Make sure to close the door. We don't want anyone to suspect" I said and walk through the hallway and find Futaba's room. It was pretty obvious it was hers. The room had a sign that said " **PRIVATE - DO NOT ENTER** " with some decorations like if it was a crime scene. This was Futaba's room, how it couldn't be? Everyone else joins me shortly after.

"Well... Isn't this pretty... obvious?" Naoki asks.

"Pretty much... This is a shut-in's room after all" I said. Makoto walk to the door and knock it gently.

"Futaba-chan? You're in there, right?" She asks.

"Don't worry, Makoto didn't want to scare you" Said Naoki and Makoto give her a look. "S-Sorry"

"There's no answer..." Said Morgana.

"Futaba-chan. Are you there?" Makoto insisted, but Futaba wasn't responding at all. Still, that didn't stop her from apologizing to her. "I'm sorry for being startled and screaming yesterday. It was so dark that I got scared" She said and like before, complete silence.

"No reaction whatsoever" Said Yusuke.

"This is gonna be hard" Ryuji whispers.

"Let me try," I said and get closer to the door. "Hey... Alibaba. I know you are listening. You don't have to talk to us directly if you don't want to... How about we text to each other? Just the two of us. What do you say?" I ask and after a couple of seconds, my phone starts vibrating.

"Is it Alibaba?" Makoto ask me.

"What did I told you? Phone's chat" I smile and look at the message.

" _Why are you here?_ " She write and I show them the message.

"Why's she only reacting to that name...?" Morgana asks

"... You're Futaba Sakura, aren't you?" Makoto asks and Futaba wasn't responding.

"She's not responding again" Yusuke point out the obvious.

"No shit," I said.

"Does she not like us saying her name?" Ann asks

"We don't have time to dally around. We need her keyword before dealing with Alibaba's identity" Morgana sigh. I walk to the door and talk to her.

"We want to learn more about you," I said. "If we don't do so, we can't steal your heart. We actually need some information for you... You can talk to me on the phone. I'm okay with this"

" _... OK..._ " She writes. " _What do you want to hear?_ "

" _How is living in this house?_ " I write and remain silent. Everyone was watching me, wanting to see the conversation, but I shake my head. They stay quiet and wait.

" _It's painful..._ " She responds.

" _Why don't you go out?_ " I ask

" _I can't leave this place,_ " She writes. " _I'm going to die here_ "

"Die?" I thought. "What is going on inside your head?"

" _Is this going to continue?_ " I could tell she was getting desperate so I should go straight to the point. I could use this to my advantage.

"Why do you think that?" I write and took her a couple of minutes to respond.

" _Why? ... This place is my tomb... Was that enough?_ "

"Tomb..." I whisper and look at Ryuji. "Try that word. Try " ** _Tomb_** ". I think that should be good enough" Ryuji takes out his phone and enter the keyword. Just as I was expecting, it was a hit.

"Input accepted. Searching for route to destination" Said the App.

"I was correct," I said and text her again. "It was good enough. Don't forget about your promise. We help you and you help us out in return"

"I didn't forget it. It's a deal" She writes.

"Don't worry. We won't take too long" I finish our conversation. "We are ready to go then"

"Well then, let's hurry up and go" Said Ryuji and press the button to enter the Palace. "Aaaand clicky!"

"You idiot, don't activate it here!" I yell and we all got pulled into the Palace immediately. A bright light hit us directly and we found ourselves in a desert. "... Well... That happens..."

"It's a desert..." Said Yusuke as he looks around.

"Yeah, we see that" Ryuji sigh.

"Ryuji, why didn't you wait!? We could've take Futaba with us by accident!" I yell. "We were only a few steps from her!"

"I-I didn't think that. S-Sorry" Ryuji scratch his head and look around. Then point at me. "K-Kagura. Our clothes..."

"... What?" I look down and notice that our clothes didn't change at all. I haven't noticed it until now. "Well... It was expected"

"Yes, Futaba herself is asking us to steal her heart. It'd be odd if she saw us as a threat. If she doesn't see us as an enemy, then your clothes don't change. That's how it works" Morgana said. I walk away from the group and climb a little mountain of sand that was blocking our view. I saw nothing, only sand for several kilometers around us.

"We might have a problem," I said and every join me to see that the Palace was nowhere to be found.

"Even though we entered right in front of her room, we didn't end up inside it" Said Ann.

"She must really want to keep people away from her" Said Makoto.

"Well, it makes sense" Said Naoki. "Geez, this place is really hot..."

"I know... Let's see, where is that Palace?" Ryuji tries to find a way, but Morgana beat him.

"I think I found it" He point at the East. We then saw a light in the distance.

"There's somethin' shiny there" He said.

"A tomb in the desert... I see" Makoto point out and I came with the same conclusion as her.

"A pyramid..." I said. "Let's go," I said and start walking in that direction.

"Wait? Isn't that kinda far?" Ann ask me.

"Yes, but we have Morgana for this" I look at Morgana. "Let's get down of this mountain and transform into a car. For the looks of it it should take us... An hour, maybe two if we found a complication in our way there"

"An hour!?" Naoki ask. "That's insane!"

"We don't have another choice, do we?" Morgana jumps out of the mountain and transforms into a car in midair. He landed in the sand and we all run to him. "I'll make sure to put the AC on full blast!"

"Morgana I think I love you!" Said Naoki and was the first to enter.

"Let's roll!" Ryuji yells and gets in.

"Is it okay if I drive?" Makoto ask me.

"Sure," I said and we all got inside Morgana. Makoto starts the engine and drives toward the light, the pyramid... Little did we know that it was going to be a really hot ride. The AC got busted after 10 minutes and we all start to suffer the heat. It was worst considering that the color black absorbs more heat than other colors and as a result, it felt like we were inside an oven. Oddly enough, Naoki was okay with it and start singing a little to pass the time. He was sitting behind with Ryuji, Akira, and Yusuke while I sit in the front with Ann and Makoto. Naoki was singing an old song from an old TV show and it was annoying Ryuji a little.

" _So no one told me life was gonna be this way... Your job's a joke, you're broke, your love life's DOA_ " He sings and Ryuji yell at him.

"Shut up! You've been singing that for the past 10 minutes!"

"I don't see you trying to light up the mood" Naoki then stay quiet.

"... It's a good song though" I said. "Too bad that TV show sucks"

"Hey! Friends is a masterpiece!" Naoki yell at me

"That's debatable" I whisper.

"Ugh, it's stuffy..." Said Ann.

"Yes, I know... But it still beats opening the windows to the hot desert air" Said Makoto as she lays in the steering wheel. "Hey, Ann. Can I have a drink? Didn't you have mineral water?"

"I drank it already," She said and we all sigh.

"And you didn't share it?" Naoki asks. "That's evil, Ann"

"Sorry..." We all were sweating at this point. Me and Ann lay in the seats. I start unbuttoning my shirt a little. I couldn't take it anymore. My bra was a little visible, but I didn't care at this point. Ann did the same. "How are you guys?" Ann asks

"I know how cakes feel now..." Naoki sigh and hit his face against the window. "I want this to end..."

"Just hang in there. We are almost ther- Huh?" Ann turned around and found Ryuji staring right at her chest, Akira was doing the same. I notice them then turn around and found Yusuke staring down. He was obviously staring at me too, but move his head down to avoid eye contact. Naoki wasn't even looking at any of us. He had his face glued to the window, begging for water. I turn around and stare at each one of them.

"The hell are you three staring at!?" I yell at them. "Yusuke, I know you were watching too!"

"N-No, I haven't!" He denies it, but I knew he did it.

"Stop lying, Yusuke. You were totally looking at Kagura" Said Ryuji.

"No!" He yells. I sigh and sit back again.

"Ugh... Whatever. It's so hot here that I don't have the strength to beat the shit out of you three..." I sigh and hear them whispering to each other.

"Yusuke, I know you were watching her. Don't tell me you like her" Ryuji whisper.

"I-I..." Yusuke didn't even know what to say. "What about you looking at Ann?"

"Pfff, yeah right. She's my friend. But you and Kagura... Come on, you can tell me. We'll keep the secret"

"... We can hear you" Said Makoto and Ryuji remain quiet. She then looks at me.

"Still... I found it an interesting topic"

"What do you mean?" I ask

"You and Yusuke... You two make a cute couple"

"... Excuse me?" I was reminded of what my Personas were talking about the other day and I didn't even know what to say now. No matter how much I thought about it, I didn't even know what to say or think now. It pisses me off... But I think it got a way to end this. I only have to find the right moment. "Whatever... Can we talk about something... else?" I look up and saw the Palace near us. "Finally" The Palace was a Pyramid surrounded by a little town. Makoto speeds up and we enter the city, get past it pretty quickly and get to the Pyramid. As soon as she stops the car we all get out quickly, only to be received by the hot of the desert that it was ten times worst.

"I'm melting!" Naoki scream. "I can't stand it anymore!"

"It's so hot..." Ann whine.

"To think her Palace would be a pyramid..." Makoto points out and we all look at the entrance of the pyramid.

"Hey, a pyramid's a tomb, right?" Ryuji asks.

"As a matter of fact, yes," Said Naoki. "It's a pharaoh's tomb. When a pharaoh dies, it's placed inside the pyramid alongside his belongings. Of course, that includes his treasures" Naoki walk to the entrance. "I really want to travel to Egipt to see the Great Pyramid of Giza... but I think this will be enough. I don't money to travel yet"

"That sucks," Ryuji said.

"Also it's been said that pyramids are also a device for reviving the dead" Makoto points out.

"Reviving the dead, hm...?" Yusuke looks at the pyramid and as I was expecting he start to admire it. "It's beautiful nonetheless... It's perfectly conformed to the golden ratio..."

"Hey, guys, can we go in already?" Ryuji asks, covering in sweat. We went inside quickly, wishing that inside was better than the insufferable heat from the outside and to everyone surprise, it actually was. It was cold inside, fresh. A nice, cold air hit us right in the face as we enter and sigh in relief, thanking God or whatever deity we believe that it was cold inside. After the heat, this was almost a gift from the heavens.

"It's so nice inside!" Sai Ryuji. "Is this place air conditioned or something?"

"It may be because Futaba's room in reality has AC pumping through it. Either way, this is a relief" Said Makoto.

"Huh, our clothes still haven't changed even now. This has never happened to us before" Said Ann. She was right, it never happens to them before. For me, it happens a couple of times.

"It is refreshing that she doesn't see us as a threat... but we are completely surrounded by walls," Said Yusuke. It was true, we found ourselves in a little room, with little space to walk freely. We still could keep going.

"Let's explore. We might find the Shadow in no time" I said and lead the way. We keep moving and it didn't take us that long to find a long stair. A really long stair. I went far and high as my eye could see. "This is interesting"

"These stairs go pretty far" Said Ann as we see the end of the stairs, far away from us. It looked painfully long.

"There're way too goddamn many..." Ryuji whine and Naoki start going up the stairs.

"It's not that bad. Let's go" He shrugged.

"He's right. More importantly, I can totally sense the Treasure ahead. We're getting pretty close now!" Morgana gets so excited now. We follow Naoki and start climbing.

"These stairs seem to be headed into the heart of the pyramid," Said Makoto. "I wonder if that's where the Treasure waits..."

"I hope so. Maybe we can end this without troubles this time" I said and keep climbing the stairs. It took us about five minutes to reach the end and right at that end, I saw a familiar face... Futaba. More specifically, Futaba's Shadow was right there. Waiting for us. "Well, I was expecting this" Futaba's Shadow was dressing as a pharaoh, a really simple outfit.

"Hey, is this...?" Ryuji point at Futaba's Shadow.

"That's Futaba's Shadow... I saw her face when we were at Sojiro's house" I said and walk to her. She looks at me right in the eyes. Those yellow eyes were empty... It was a little disturbing. "Hello..."

" **...** " Futaba's Shadow took her time to even speak up. " **Why have you come?** "

"What do you mean? You want us to steal your treasure, right?" I ask her.

" **... If you believe you can steal it, then try as you might** "

"That's rather defiant sounding," Said Morgana.

"Perhaps this is that " _Tsundere_ " thing where someone is harsh or sweet depending on the mood," Said Yusuke.

"I'm actually thinking on a pretty good example of a Tsundere" Ryuji then look at me. Akira, Ann, and even Makoto look at me.

"The hell are you all staring at me for!?" I yell. "We have something more important right in front of us!" Futaba's Shadow didn't care about my little outburst.

" **Considering the state that my Palace is in... There is no way that you can steal it** " She said and we start to hear voices coming from everywhere. All angry voices, yelling, scream, even insulting. But those weren't directed at us, but to Futaba herself.

"What are these voices?" Yusuke asks as he looks around. One of the voices calls Futaba a murderer and the Shadow fall to her knees, grabbing her head.

"Murderer?" Makoto asks. All these voices were blaming her, yelling at her.

"This is horrible..." Said Ann. I look at the Shadow, shaking. I kneel in front of her and extend my hand to reach her, but the Shadow shout at me.

"Don't touch me!" She yells and an invisible force launches me away from her and I fall down the stairs.

"Kagura!" Yusuke yells and runs to me. I only fall a few stairs down after I try to stand up. Yusuke help me and checked on me, almost desperate. "Are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah" I said. I wasn't expecting her to send me flying like that.

"Hey! The hell is wrong with you!?" Ryuji yells at Futaba's Shadow.

"... That's right. I did it" She said.

"What?"

"I am the one who killed my mother," She said and the whole Palace starts shaking violently.

"What was that!?" Naoki asks as part of the ceiling fall near us.

"My mother exists here... I will remain here... I will do so until I die..." She slowly fades away and our clothes change suddenly.

"What the hell?" Naoki looks down at his clothes. "You have to be kidding me!"

"She sees us as a threat now... What's going on!?" Yusuke asks.

"This is bad. I'm having a hard time getting a grasp of our situation. We should regroup and..." Makoto was interrupted by another shake from the Palace.

"What now!?" Ann asks and Naoki looks up. "Naoki?"

"Oh, my... Guys, run!" He starts running down the stairs and we all look up. A giant stone ball falls at the end of the stairs and starts falling down the stairs, right toward us.

"Retreat!" I yell and we all start running down the stairs, catching up with Naoki. "You should have talked before!"

"I said run!" He yells as he ran as fast as possible. "You should've listened to me!"

"Fair enough!" We got at the end of the stairs and jump to the sides to avoid the giant ball that makes a giant hole in the floor. Right behind us, the way to the stairs was shut by a giant door that comes out of nowhere. "That's the worst..." I run to the door and inspect it. It looks like it needs a key of some sort.

"... Now what?" Akira ask me as he inspects the door too.

"I don't know. Let me think for a moment" I wanted some time to think on a way back to the stairs.

"Even if we wanted to ask Futaba what's going on, it seems the door is shut. What should we do?" Yusuke ask me. I take a deep breath and give him what for me was our only option considering that we are not in the condition to take on her Palace now.

"Let's go back. We come completely unprepared" I said.

"I agree. We should come back tomorrow after we prepare. We just start summer vacation so we can focus on this Palace as much as possible" Said Makoto. We all agree to get out of the Palace and come back tomorrow. When we get out we end up right outside of Sojiro's house and it was almost evening. We decided to go back to the cafe and drink as much water as it was possible. After going through that desert we wanted to drink something cold. After we all had a cold drink we sit in the booths and turn on the TV. The News were talking about Medjed as it was expected.

" ** _The date that Medjed has set for the alleged cleanse is 8/21. That day is fast approaching"_** Said the TV Reporter. " _ **The Phantom Thieves, whom they singled out, have not made any notable actions at this time. Will Medjed carry out their cyberterrorism?**_ "

"In order to stop them, we need to help Futaba before the 21st" Said Makoto. "Our deadline is about two days prior, so the 19th"

"We should make this place our hideout for a while" Ryuji suggest.

"It's more convenient," I said. "That way we can go right to her Palace when we meet. Do you all agree?" I ask and everyone nodded.

"We must take care not to be discovered by Boss" Said Yusuke.

"Don't worry about him. He will be busy with the cafe. Still, I don't want to say names... Ryuji..."

"Hey!"

"But we should be quiet when making our plans. That way we won't raise any suspicions for him or the customers" I said. "We all should be careful starting tomorrow"

"Also there's no telling what may happen inside that pyramid," Said Morgana. "We all need to be cautious so that place doesn't become our graveyard"

"Man, this is gonna be one crazy summer vacation" Ryuji sound way too excited and that annoyed me a little. "We're dealin' with international hackers and lookin' for a Treasure in a pyramid"

"This isn't a game you moron!" I said. "If we lose know, it's over. Do you understand that? I won't sit down a see all that I've worked so hard for fall in a snap of fingers. Take this seriously or I swear that I'll make you regret it"

"She's right. Take this more seriously, Ryuji!" Said Ann and she didn't stop there. "That reminds me. While we were in the Mona car, you were staring at me with a dirty look, you perv!"

"Shuddup! It was a great view!" Ryuji was not even denying it.

"... At least he's being honest about it..." Said Naoki. "But seriously, aren't you even a little ashamed about it? Spying on girls is a little low, you know"

"And what do you know?" Ryuji then looks at Akira and Yusuke. "Naoki wasn't even looking but you two were lookin' too, am I right!?"

"Indeed" Yusuke smile and I was about to smack him in the back of his head.

"Yusuke you-"

"The pyramid's golden ratio was truly a sight to behold" He keeps talking about the pyramid.

"... Oh..." I calm down, thinking that he was actually going to say something weird. I shouldn't think bad of him like that. He's not Ryuji after all... But he was staring at me. I will confront him later.

"That ain't what I'm talkin' about..." Ryuji sigh

"I wasn't staring, Kagura," Said Morgana. "I'm a gentleman, after all"

"It's not that you "weren't," but that you "couldn't" since you were transformed, am I right?" Ann crosses her arms and Morgana look down, ashamed.

"... Will we be all right like this...?" Makoto wonder.

"I stop asking that question a long time ago," I said.

Shortly after our little talk, we all go our separate ways. We leave with Yusuke and we went back home. I was looking down all the time. Even though a lot happened today, I had still a problem inside my mind. It was about Yusuke. Lately, I've been feeling weird and everyone around me is even asking me how I feel about him. Even my own Personas that are an actual part of me were going on and on about how I should just go and confess. I didn't know what to do... Actually, I know what to do. This was stupid. I want to end this as soon as possible so I focus on our biggest problem right now. I have a plan to answer the question. To get the answer that I seek so desperately now... Do I have feelings for Yusuke? Every time I think about that it makes me feel weird, my heart beat faster and my hands start sweating a little. We were halfway from home so I decided to clear my doubts, to get the answer right here, right now. The problem is what will happen next. I didn¡t know the outcome so I should be really careful... This is it. Grab Yusuke's hand and stop him. Right there I felt that something definitely wasn't fine with me. I got nervous by only touching his hand. This was ridiculous, I couldn't believe it.

"Yu-Yu-Yusuke" And to make things worse I stutter. "Th-There's something I need to ask you"

"Very well," He said, seriously. I look at him in the eyes. Took a deep breath and make the question... But for whatever reason... I couldn't say it. I couldn't talk. I found myself unable to say a single word. My mouth was open, but I couldn't speak. I was... scared? I was really scared... "Is something wrong?" He asks me, concerned. "Your face is a little red"

"I-I-I-I..." I stutter again. " _COME ON, YOU COWARD! JUST DO IT!_ " I thought. " _YOU DON'T LOVE HIM AT ALL! JUST ASK THE DAMN QUESTION AND GET THIS OVER WITH!_ " I look at him in the eyes and finally speak up. "A-Are you hungry?" I mentally yell. That was not even the question.

"I actually am. If your mother is still at home we could have dinner together"

"Y-Yes... We should" I said and yell at myself in the back of my head. Why was I having doubts? I shouldn't be having doubts. I really shouldn't. I hate feeling like this. I don't love him. I refuse to give in and give everyone the satisfaction to know they were right all along. I refuse... But then why? Why every time I deny it, it makes my heart sink? Why does it hurt?

"Let's go back. She must be waiting for us"

"Yes... I bet she is..." I reluctantly walk with him. I look down again and sigh. I hate myself now. I really hate myself... What the hell is wrong with me?


	44. Unexpected Situations

**_Hello Everyone! I'm back! And I have a story for you... Literally XD I wanted to make this longer, but I didn't want to drag it too much. Besides, I think you'll love this one in particular. If not... well... Sorry XD Anyway, December is finally here, the bad news is that I don't get vacations... Yeah, fuck my life XD But on the good side is that I get a little time off to at least write this and maybe the other fics. Let's see how it goes. Tell me what do you think about it :D_**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 43: Unexpected Situations_**

 _ **7/25 Monday**_

 **Kagura's POV**

I wanted to punch myself. I seriously wanted to, I couldn't believe that I couldn't ask a simple question. I stay in my room right after dinner and fall asleep while cursing in silence, I felt really ashamed of myself. I just wanted this to end and get it out of my head. I shouldn't feel this way, I shouldn't doubt, I shouldn't... I shouldn't love him. It's impossible, I can't. I refuse to accept it... If I do really love him and that's the reason why I'm so afraid of making the question then I hate this feeling. I hate love and everything related to it. Still... I couldn't think about that at the moment. We were right in the middle of a mission so whatever was going on between me and Yusuke shouldn't be my priority, the mission was more important. We didn't wait that long to enter Futaba's Palace again the next day. As soon we wake up we went in to steal the Treasure as soon as possible. We enter and found ourselves in the desert again, but this time we were closer to the Palace, on top of that we had out Phantom Thief costumes already. We were officially a threat to Futaba's Shadow. Ryuji focuses on Naoki's outfit for a moment, Naoki notices how Ryuji stare at him and felt uncomfortable.

"... Is something wrong?" He asks.

"Actually, we never decided on a Codename for you" He said. He was right. We never think on a name for Naoki. We've been so busy that we forgot.

"Oh, yeah. Naoki needs one" Said Ann. "Let's see, what will be a good Codename for you?"

"Anything is fine, really" Naoki shrug.

"Nah, dude. You need a cool name" Said Ryuji. "I mean, look at you. You look like one of those guys from a death metal band"

"He could easily be on a metal band with that cool alone" Said Makoto. "But not with that shy personality"

"I'm not really into that... Which makes it even weirder to be wearing this" Naoki sigh.

"..." Yusuke stares at Naoki's outfit. "I found it surprisingly pleasing to the eye, yet disgusting at the same time. It gives an aura of rebellion, but also death and decay. Considering that most of us have our Codenames from our masks and outfits, it might be fitting for you to have one that relates to your outfit"

"... How about Death?" Akira suggests. "Simple, yet impactful. That and I can't come up with something better"

"It does sound good" Said Ryuji. "What do you say, Death?"

"Death, huh?" Naoki smile a little. "I kinda like it... I don't know, but it makes me feel powerful"

"If you like it then it's settled" Said Makoto. "I can't believe we forgot about your codename"

"We were focused on Medjed and getting inside Futaba's Palace," I said. "We had a good reason to forgot"

Now with Naoki's codename settled we went back to the pyramid and face the closed gate again. We all look at it and see if there was a way to open it. Akira tries to find an opening or something to get it open, but that giant gate looked like a wall. Naoki tried to find a way to break it if we didn't find any ways to open it, but it looked really solid, not even I could bring it down with Kuma Lisa or Yhoundeh.

"So it still won't open" Said Morgana. "We might just have to give up on it"

"Let's find another way then," Said Naoki. "There has to be another way, it can't be closed forever"

"We will have to investigate every suspicious place we see, both inside the pyramid and out" Said Yusuke. For some reason, I couldn't completely look at him without getting annoyed at my inability of asking a simple question at him. On top of that I live with him, how come I get in here today in the first place?

"Ugh, outside...!?" Ryuji yell. "You mean we gotta deal with that heat!?"

"No complaining. Let's begin our investigation right away" Said Makoto and we all walk out of the pyramid. While we walk to the main entrance we all hear a voice behind us... It was Futaba's Shadow.

" **Are you leaving?** " She asks, calmly. " **Come back here. Let's talk for a moment** " She point at me and I get closer to her. The Shadow stare at me, almost emotionless. " **Welcome back... I had thought I would never see you agai** n"

"You want us to steal your treasure, right? I'm here because you ask us to... Not so nicely, but still" I said. The Shadow look away for a moment and then look at me again.

" **You wish to proceed further, yes? why don't we make a deal then?** "

"A deal?" I cross my arms. "... What do you want?"

" **There is a town nearby. I would like you to take back that which the bandit there stole from me** " She explained. " **If you bring what was stolen back to me, I will give you a reward. I'll even tell you how to proceed** "

"I see... Is there anything I need to know about this bandit?"

" **You'll learn all the information you need to know once you arrive,** " She said and disappear. I sigh and walk to the group, I took them outside the pyramid and once outside explain them our situation.

"She wanted to make a deal, huh?" Ryuji asks. "And you said yes"

"I think it was a good deal, but I doubt she'll let us in that easily. That's why we are going to do this..." I said and we all make a circle. "The plan it's simple, I'll go to that town and get this bandit. Meanwhile, you search for another way in. That way we won't waste time on getting inside"

"Are you sure you can with this bandit?" Makoto asks me.

"Makoto... Trust me. I can deal with this bandit, Shadow or whatever it is"

"... Alright. I'll trust you. Go there and come back quickly. We'll try to find another way in meanwhile"

"So... how're you supposed to get to this town?" Ryuji asks me.

"The pyramid was surrounded by a lot of small buildings. I suppose that's the town she's referring to. I mean, what else could it be?" I shrug and saw the town in the distance. "Still, walking to that it's a pain... Morgana, let's go"

"Right away!" Morgana walks away from the pyramid and turns into a car. I get inside and before closing the door, Yusuke gets in.

"W-W-What are you doing?" I ask while trying to hide a blush that comes out of nowhere.

"I'm coming with you. You might be strong, but you need backups" He said and in a way he was right. Still, I could deal with this on my own, but having someone else wouldn't hurt me that much... Anyone but Yusuke... But I didn't have a legitimate reason to tell him to leave me alone.

"I-I guess so... Well, we are going to this town. The rest of you make sure to find another way in. We'll be right back" I said and drive away to the town. The ride was very quiet, even uncomfortable... at least for me. Yusuke seems pretty oblivious of it and I kinda wish I was a little like him. I sigh while driving and realize I sigh a lot lately. I'm starting to wonder if it's because we found ourself in this weird situation or because I can't make up my mind and talk to Yusuke. It took us a couple of minutes to arrive at the center of the town, we came out and Morgana transforms again. We then start walking in what looked like a desolated town. We didn't see any Shadows or even cognitive people at all. The silence was really creepy.

"I have to say, the mood of this town is definitely strange. I can't sense anyone around" Said Morgana.

"Not only that, but I didn't see anybody. Not even Shadows" I said.

"Do you think she brought us here to waste our time?" Yusuke asks me. "Or even to get rid of us?" I look down and answer his question, trying to avoid looking at him.

"That's a possibility... Let's look around to see if there's actually something" I said and we all hear a voice behind us.

" ** _Hey, guys. You lookin' for something?_** " We turn around and saw a weird looking man with a sword. He looked like some kind of Arabian Thief. " ** _Heh, I thought I heard someone rustlin' around out here... and here y'all are. Welcome to the desert, fellow trader_** "

"Hm? What does he mean by "trader"?" Yusuke asks.

"I don't know and I couldn't care less what he wants" I said and look at the guy. "You are the thief right? Hand over what you stole or I'll kill you and then take it by force"

" **Ha! Well, ain't this interestin'. A group of criminals comin' after a fellow trader... Well, you're gonna have to catch me if you wan-** "

"Kuma Lisa!" I summon my Persona and instead of waiting for him to finish talking I smash him against the wall with Lisa's gravity ability. The Thief wasn't expecting the attack at all and end up stuck in the wall.

" **W-What!?** "

"Sorry, but I'll rather finish this as soon as possible. Give us what you stole and we'll leave" I said and the Thief gets out of the hole in the wall and smirk.

" **I see... Let's do this then...** " The Thief turns black and transforms into a Shadow.

"Bring it on!"

* * *

 **Haru's POV**

I stare at the phone, the red icon that suddenly appears on it spark my curiosity completely. I place my finger above the icon, but to be honest, I was too scared to even touch it and see what was the app about. An app that showed up so suddenly without me downloading it and even installing it was really odd, it might be a virus. I didn't want to take any chances at all so I leave my phone and didn't touch anything at all. I didn't even know if I should delete it at all. Maybe it wasn't a virus and it was an app the phone needed to work. I really don't know, just in case I'm keeping it and when I'm completely sure it's safe I'll check it. Now that shouldn't be my concern now. I'm actually thinking of a way to talk with Akira without making him believe I want to date him. I want to see him and talk to him again, but not like we were on a date. Just friends... How should I send the message? Hm... I should start with a simple message and then ask him if we could meet in the week. We are on vacations after all so of course he has free time... But does he really has free time?. I don't want to push him too much... I'll start with a simple message and wait for him to answer. I send a little message...

" _Hi, Akira... Are free tomorrow?_ " I write and mentally panic. "WHAT?! NO, NO, NO, NO!" He didn't saw it yet, but I couldn't delete it without him asking what was that message about. "Okay... Calm down... You can work this out..."

" _I wanted to know if you wanted to go to the Bookstore with me tomorrow_ " I couldn't believe myself, that really sounds like I'm asking him out! I tried to fix it.

" _And we could go for ice cream too_ " What am I doing?

" _Just for you know... it's not a date..._ "

"... I think this is good enough... Now to wait for the answer... I hope it doesn't take long... I also hope that he doesn't take it the wrong way..."

* * *

 **Kagura's POV**

The Shadow wasn't a challenge at all. For some reason, I was actually expecting it to be a little difficult but then I just had to used Kuma Lisa's Grydyne and the fight ended. The Shadow dropped something worth picking up though... a Papyrus. I pick it up and this is obviously what Futaba's Shadow wanted to get back. It couldn't be something else, it actually seems pretty fitting with all this setting.

"... I think we are done here" I said and show them the papyrus.

"Is this... some kind of papyrus parchment?" Morgana asks.

"It seems like it," Said Yusuke and took it from my hands.

"It looks like there's something written inside" Morgana wanted to take a look, but I stop him.

"Let's not do that," I said. "Still, this is weird. I bet I'm not the only one think that"

"What do you mean?" Yusuke asked me.

"Well... Every Shadow I've seen so far is completely in control of their Palaces and the area surrounding them. This Palace is different. Futuba's Shadows looks off... It also seems that she might not be in complete control, at least outside the pyramid. Still, this might actually be a set up, but if it isn't then this might not go as well as I thought it would be"

"Regardless, we have no more business in this city. Shall we head back, Clown?" Yusuke ask me and I nodded. We walk away from the center of the town to a more open area for Morgana to transform. In the way, we were once again surrounded by the same awkward silence, at least for me. Yusuke didn't seem to notice it at all and it's starting to get in my nerves. I feel like I'm going to go insane if I don't get this over with, but our mission is more important now. I took a deep breath and did my best to forget about this and focus on getting to the Treasure. Morgana transforms and take us back to the pyramid. We join with the rest and show them the papyrus. Makoto told me that they didn't find another way in besides what appears to be a door outside of the pyramid that was locked. I decided to check that door later and focus and taking the papyrus to Futaba's Shadow. We all went inside the pyramid and found Futaba's Shadow waiting for us in the exact same place and position as we left, like if she was a statue or if she was glued to the floor.

"We're back" Said Ryuji. "This is the thing you said they stole, right?" I walk to her and give her the papyrus, she took it and then look at me.

" _ **Well done... It is yours now**_ " She then give it back to me and I was puzzled by it.

"Wait... What...?" I was genuinely confused. "Isn't this what you wanted us to get back?"

" _ **Open it**_ " I did as she said and discover that the papyrus was actually a map of the pyramid. That really caught me, and the rest of us, by surprise. " _ **That is a map of the tomb, stolen by the bandit to aid in his ransacking of this place**_ "

"Why are you letting them just do whatever they want?" Makoto asks a really good question. "This is your Palace, isn't it?"

" _ **All that matters is that the map is now yours. Just come further in and... Oh...**_ " Futaba's Shadow looks up and the whole pyramid starts shaking violently.

"What in the...?" Yusuke asks and Futaba's Shadow disappears before our eyes.

"Hey, wait!" I yell and out of nowhere the floor beneath us gave in and we start falling. "WHAT?!"

"Shiiiiiiiit!" Ryuji yells as we all fall into a giant pool of sand. "Dammit! I swear that she's messing with us!"

"Tell me about it..." Said Naoki. I try to get out of the pool of sand but then notice something weird. We were sinking in the sand.

"Wait... this isn't right..." I said and found out I was the one right in the middle of the pool so I was sinking quicker than the rest... Then it hit me. "Shit! Run, I mean, Swim!" I yell and we all start sinking. The quicksand was dragging us and trying to drown us. Too bad we didn't notice it sooner, so we were swimming for our lives in the sand.

"Everyone, swim with all your might!" Morgana yell.

"For you it's easy to say!" Naoki yell. "You don't have a mask that is getting in the way of swimming through a sea of sand!"

"Shut up and swim!" I yell and got desperate because I was the only one about to get swallowed by the sand. "Shit!" I got sand in my eyes and get dragged by the sand. "My eyes!"

"Kagura!" Yusuke yelled and stop swimming, allowing himself to be dragged by the sand. "Kagura, grab my hand!" He yells. I couldn't see him at all, I had sand in my eyes so I extend both of my arms hoping to reach him. Luckily he grabs my hand and as soon he did we both start swimming. We all got out of that pool of quicksand and try our best to recover. I let my body hit the floor and rub my eyes trying to get rid of the sand in my eyes. Yusuke get closer to me, carefully move my mask away and help me to get rid of the sand. When I finally open my eyes the first thing I saw was Yusuke's eyes and like I was expecting, I found myself quiet and unable to speak at all, but I wasn't nervous, for once I was calm.

"... You save me..." I said, almost as a whisper.

"Of course I did. Were you expecting me to let you die in there?"

"N-No..." I look away. My eyes were red and I had troubles to see properly, but at least I could see at some extent. I took a deep breath before speaking again. "Th-Thank you... for saving me"

"There's no need to thank me. I will do it every time it needed" He said and I couldn't stop looking at him in the eyes, neither he could stop.

"Umm..." Makoto interrupts the moment. "Are you two alright?"

"Shhh, don't interrupt their moment!" Said Ann.

"No!" I said and stand up. "We are not having a moment! I... I... nevermind... Are you guys alright?"

"Yes, we are" Said Joker, brushing off the sand from his outfit. "I wasn't expecting this kind of trap all of the sudden"

"None of us were" Said Ann. "First a boulder, then this... Did we pis her off somehow?"

"I don't think it has anything to do with us angering her" Said Morgana. "I suspect the problem is that she can't control her instinct to push people away from her"

"A simple defense mechanism..." Makoto whispers. "Considering what she's been through, I don't blame her for mistrusting others"

"We have to save her" Said Ann. "We've gotta help Futaba-chan open the door to her heart!"

"First we need to find a way to get out of here. If we don't then all the sand that is falling is going to bury us. We were lucky to find some ground" I said and look at the map. "Looks like the only way to get out of here is going up" We all look up and saw a possible way to escape, we only needed to jump from a couple of statues that will lead us to a hallway above. "This looks to be our way out. Ah, I still have sand in my eyes" I walk away from the group and rub my eyes.

* * *

 **Yusuke's POV**

We were making our way out of the underground. Kagura was taking the lead, guiding us and stopping to search in case an enemy appear. I stay behind the group with Naoki who was still brushing off the sand that got stuck on his outfit. I don't blame him, I still have sand on my outfit, but it bothers him more than it bothers me. I was completely quiet and focus on my own thoughts when Naoki talk to me.

"So... What's exactly the deal between you two?"

"What?" I ask him, not knowing what he meant.

"You and Kagura. Between Ryuji that don't shut up about that and Akira that finding it pretty amusing, I'm kinda curious" He explained. I sigh and grab his arm for a moment, slowing down to give us some space between us and the group.

"... I don't know" I admit.

"You don't know?"

"I mean..." I look down and speak up. "I don't know what to do"

"What do you mean?" Akira appears, he slows down too to see what was going on. I couldn't expect less of him. He was right on the front with Kagura, but notice us slowing down. "Do you need us to stop?"

"No! I'm fine, it's just..."

"It's nothing, Joker" Said Naoki. "We were talking about... Kagura"

"Ohhh..." Joker then joins the conversation, much to my discomfort. "Let me guess, you have troubles figuring out how you feel"

"N-No, it's just that I..." I try to deny it, but then remember Kagura's mother and how she taunts me too about it. I couldn't deny it anymore, not in front of them and how they make a joke of it. I'm not angry at them, but the fact that they seem to know more about me than myself is making me angry. "... Am I being too obvious now?" I whisper.

"You? No... But Kagura on the other side. She's so obvious, she's losing it. I mean, did you look at her?" Akira chuckled. "Listen. It's pretty obvious that Kagura feel something"

"She... does?" I ask and they both look at me weirdly.

"Yusuke... Don't tell me you didn't notice it" Akira said in disbelief. "Man, I can't believe that you didn't notice her at all"

"Even I took notice of it when you two look at each other's eyes minutes ago. For a moment I thought you two would kiss" Naoki laugh a little.

"Kagura... Has feelings for me? And I haven't noticed them at all?" I ask in disbelief. Were they telling me the truth? They wouldn't lie to me like that, there's no reason for them to do so. If that's true, then...

"Yusuke, you want some advice?" Akira ask me and I actually nodded. "Don't wait. You two should talk about this"

"... Are you saying I should confront her?"

"Not really. You two should sit down and talk it out. I'm not claiming to be an expert on the subject. I don't know that much about love and sure, it might be scary to admit one's feeling for another person. It leaves you open and people don't like that. I suggest that after this, you two go back home and talk about this. The worst thing that could happen is that Kagura will deny it again and she'll be hurting herself. Nobody wants that, but you two need to clear this matter as soon as possible. I can tell that Kagura is suppressing her feelings really hard"

"... I'll see what I can do. Thanks for the advice" I did appreciate Akira's suggestion. He might not know too much about it, but I could tell that he cares, not only about me but for Kagura too. We walk quickly to reunite with the group and didn't took us that long to reach what appears to be the exit. We saw a door at the end of a tunnel, a light was coming through it.

"Hey... Ain't that light the exit?" Ryuji asks. "I'm kinda surprised how close it ended up bein'!"

"Thank god we can finally get out of here. This was all around a horrible experience" Said Morgana. We all run to the door and found ourselves outside of the Palace. It was the door that we found early that was closed up.

"Ugh, the sun" Said Naoki.

"We made it out! Damn it's hot though. My ass is all sweaty..." Said Ryuji.

"At least we have secured our escape route" I said. "We can finally go about this place now"

"Let's use this as our entrance from here forward. It should be more stable than the front. From what I can tell, the map is showing a way into the core of the Palace" Makoto explains.

"It's good to know. Let's see..." Kagura looks at the map. "This Palace is not that big... despite the pyramid being that huge. All we need to do is going through this corridor and then it will take us to the depths of the Palace. Alright, are you all ready to go?"

"We all are. There's no need to ask that" Said Ryuji.

"Fine, let's get going then," She said and walk back inside. For a brief moment, she looks at me, but look away almost immediately. At that moment I understand what Akira was talking about. I was pretty oblivious, she seems really nervous around me, she wasn't like that when we first met and I haven't really pay attention to her reactions or even emotions. If she really has feelings for me, then... Is she afraid to confess? Is she afraid that I turn her down? Is she afraid to open herself to me? I don't know, I truly don't know, but I'm curious, I need to know. I can't deny that deep down I do have a feeling that goes beyond my desire for painting her, I see her differently... I see her as a beautiful woman.

We all went back inside and head to that corridor that would lead us even deeper into the Palace, away from the underground section. We quickly found ourselves in a big open area. Kagura looks down at the map. "According to this, the corridor is right in front of us" She pointed up ahead and there it was, but something felt off. We all knew it.

"This is clearly a trap," Said Naoki.

"Yeah, no shit" Ryuji sigh. "It's either going to be an Egyptian trap or a Shadow"

"I bet that it's a Shadow" Said Akira and walk ahead of us. To nobody's surprise, a Shadow jump from the ceiling. It was a mummy with a black mask and a crown on its head.

" **FOOLISH GRAVE ROBBERS** " The Shadow yelled. " **YOU HAVE ENRAGED THE GUARDIAN OF THIS PLACE. HENCE, THERE SHALL BE NO PATH FORWARD FOR YOU! IT IS TIME YOU PERISH!** " The Shadow bend backward and transform into a giant coffin.

"Pff, are we suppose to be scared of that?!" Ryuji laugh. "Let's get this over with!"

" **SUCH FOOLISHNESS WILL BE YOUR DEMISE!** " The Shadow yell and open, revealing a monstrous hand that point at Ryuji. He snaps his fingers and Ryuji was surrounded by smoke.

"Ryuji!" I yell and when the smoke dissipated, he was nowhere to be seen, but a mouse appears on his place. "... Is that?"

"No, it can't..." Said Ann until she notices the mouse's mask. It was Ryuji's mask. He was, in fact, turned into a mouse. "Pfff... I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it's just... Pfff hahahahahahaha. He got turned into a mouse!" Ryuji, on its mouse form, was clearly angry and waving his fist toward Ann.

"This is indeed a _prepawsterous_ situation," I said and everyone stares at me. Except for Kagura, she was laughing a little.

"... Was that suppose to be a joke?" Morgana asks me. The Shadow caught our attention again when decided to attack. This time throwing Almighty attacks on us. Ann grabs Ryuji and runs from the attacks, searching for a safe place for him. We separate and surround the Shadow, considering its a coffin it can't focus on all of us. We all summon our Personas and attack the Shadow at the same time. I summon Goemon, expecting to stop the coffin from opening, freezing it, but it didn't do a thing against it. Akira summons Arsene and attacks it with its bare hands, but it barely made a scratch, he then attack with darkness attacks, but nothing. The Shadow didn't take damage at all. Makoto, with Johanna, attack it from behind, but the Shadow push itself to the side and dodge Makoto entirely. The coffin open and the Shadow snap its finger toward Makoto and she turned into a mouse, just like Ryuji.

"Makoto!" Naoki yells and summon Dillinger and with it distract the Shadow by shooting a rain of bullets. The Shadow couldn't dodge them so got hit by most of them. Naoki runs to Makoto and picks her up. He then starts running away, using Dillinger as a distraction. To their luck, Dillinger alone was causing a lot of damage to the Shadow with its bullets. I didn't like this, the Shadow with snapping its fingers turn to of our teammates into mouses, other two of them are forced to get out of the field and fight in the distance and now only three of us are available to fight near it. Dillinger, still shooting at the Shadow, was starting to fade away. Naoki was wasting too much energy. Kagura took this change to use her gravity abilities against the Shadow in order to kill it quickly. She jumps away from the group and runs right behind the Shadow. She summons Kuma Lisa and uses Grydyne against it. The Shadow was lifted from the floor and Kuma Lisa slams it against the ground multiple times before throwing it against the wall. Kuma Lisa jump to the Shadow, about to finish it off, but the coffin open again and point at Kuma Lisa. In mid-air, Kuma Lisa was punched by an invisible force right in the chest. Kuma Lisa was weak against the physical attacks, so when she was hit, Kagura felt it too, but ten times worse. Kuma Lisa disappears and Kagura falls to her knees, hugging herself. I could tell her chest hurt a lot and before I could even react, my legs move on their own, taking me to her.

"Kagura! Are you alright?!" I yell and help her to stand.

"N-No! It hurts a lot!" She coughs and looks up at me. She seems troubled as soon she looks at my eyes "Yu-Yusuke, we have to..." She looks behind me, her eyes widen and yell. "NO!" She pushes me away and as I fell on my back I saw her being surrounded by smoke, the Shadow turn her into a mouse like the rest of the team. I look at the Shadow and the coffin completely open, revealing a demonic figure the raise its arm. I run to Kagura, pick her up and summon Goemon to fight back the Shadow as I make sure to not hurt Kagura. Akira changes Personas, he summons a new Persona, one that I haven't seen before.

"Gurr!" He shouts and behind him appear a giant demonic eagle. Gurr spread its wings. "Garudyne!" Gurr swings his wings with an incredible force, a tornado form under the Shadow and caught it by surprise. "Yusuke!" Akira shouts at me. I order Goemon to attack. The tornado goes away and I didn't give the Shadow any time to defend itself or see where the attack was going. Goemon appears on top of the Shadow and I shout.

"Tempest Slash!" Goemon attack and the Shadow's coffin cracked. Goemon didn't let it recover and attack again. I didn't order him to do so, I just want that Shadow dead so Goemon granted my wish. He, on its own, cast Bufula and the Shadow finally freeze. Naoki jumps into the battlefield and summons Dillinger again. Akira changes his Persona to Arsene and the three Personas attack at the same time, taking the advantage at the Shadow. They perform their own All-Out-Attack, slaying the Shadow in the blink of an eye. The coffin falls into pieces and the demonic Shadow inside of it fall to its knees before turning into dust. As soon the Shadow disappear, everyone that was turned into mouse return to normal. I had Kagura in my hands before she turns back to normal, she ended up in my arms as I was struggling to carry her. She was heavier than she looked like.

"I go back to normal?" She asks and looks around. "That was weird" It took her a couple of seconds to realize that I was carrying her in my arms. "Huh?" She looks at me and quickly pushes herself away from me then avoid making visual contact. "... Th-Thanks... But you should be more aware of your surrounding in battle. I took a bullet for you, just so you know" She then walk away. and I was almost speechless. Akira walks to me and pats me in the shoulder.

"Do you need another proof? Or is obvious enough?"

"No... I think... I know what I need to do now" I said. I needed to know for sure if what they've been telling me is real. If it is then... I need to know.

"Good, because to be honest she really needs to really take this out of her chest and... Wh-Where are you going?" I walk to her as everyone else take a breath from the fight. Ignoring Akira's question I stopped Kagura, I grab her by the arm. "Yu-Yusuke... What are you doing?" He asks and gathers everyone else attention.

"Kagura, there's something I need to ask you," I said. There was no turning back from what I was about to say. "It's really important"

"Wh-What is it?" She asks, she didn't even turn around to see me. She was looking away. I walk around her, that way I could be face to face with her. "I ask... What is it, Yusuke? Because we need to get going so we can-"

"Do you love me?" I ask, interrupting her right in the middle of her sentence. She looked at me, speechless, just like the rest of the Phantom Thieves... and to be honest, I wasn't expecting what came next...


	45. Read me!

**PLEASE, READ IT!**

This is an important message for everyone that's following me and my stories. I want to take this out and let you all know why I stop updating the stories. (This message will be in every single story I write that's not complete)

To be honest with all of you, I want to keep going, I really want to, but lately, I've been into another project that requires more of my attention. On top of that, I've been going out a lot more, now I have a girlfriend (I'm not presuming, just so you know), and I'm searching for a new job, a better one because I'm not getting paid enough for what I'm doing :/

My life is not really a mess, but I'm in a process of "transition". I'm thinking about the future and what I want to do, my hobbies and a lot of stuff that I stop doing. For example, I'm not watching anime anymore (Mainly because I hate Isekais and there's nothing new lately... Besides My Hero Academia, I really can't wait for season 4 this year!).

Now you might be thinking, "you must have some space there to write fanfic" and I actually have it time to focus on one fanfic, maybe even two, but not really too much for the rest. I've been reading my own fics and realized that a lot of them are long or are set to be really long, like my Persona 5 fanfic, as well God Eater that I actually have around ten chapters already done, but I'm too lazy to search any grammar errors and update it. Now, the really, and I mean REALLY, obvious pick is the Persona 5 fanfic, why? It the only one that a lot of people are expecting and God Eater, because that's actually a favorite of mine.

I really wanted to keep the MCU fic going but... I think I'm not living up to what people really want, I think I might fail to meet their expectations and after watching Avengers Endgame, I realized the flaws on my story, more than I actually wanted to accept. I want to write something good, something that you all want to look forward to it and I found myself scared to not meet those expectations.

I know, it's a fanfic, sure, but... the reason I always do fanfics about Original Characters is that I want to write an original story myself. I admit I put myself in this mess. Creating story after story because of the hype was not the best thing to do. That and people not giving me a lot of reasons to keep writing a story that nobody is reading, sometimes I think that I'm wasting my time...

That would be that. The reason I'm not around is time and I can only focus on TWO stories. For now, Persona 5 stand first on my list and that would be the one I'll be focusing most of the time, God Eater being second. If I happen to finish one of them quickly then probably I'll go for the rest... Or that's what I'll like to say. It all depends on what will happen to my time, who knows.

I want you all to know that I appreciate the support you all have been giving me, the goods, the bads, the... insults (for some reason), and the fanboys that trashed on a couple of my old stories. I really love to be part of all of these fandoms and the stories and fics that people create. It's beautiful to look at, yeah, even the weird ones, we all at one point read those... Still, it doesn't matter the kind of content, the creator put his/her love and effort into these stories and you have to respect the people that create content for your entertainment, for free, spending time writing a story people will love, expecting nothing in return but words of praise and constructive criticism, to be better, to deliver something better.

When I first started, I was clueless, but now I've come to know a lot and appreciate more the fanfictions. And the best part is those fans that really get involved in your story, those you come to think of as "fans" or "friends".

I'll finish here before rambling about things.

I want you all to message me about this. I want to know if any of you (besides the followers of Persona 5 fanfic) are interested in me keep writing the other stories. If there's decent feedback then I will do my best to finish with Persona 5 or God Eater and focus on the rest. Please, I want to know what do you think about the story you are following and if you want me to continue it. If there are not enough people that reply, then I'll take that as a no and stop, those stories will not be continued. It sound rough, but I do want to know how much people care about these stories.

One last thing. If you really want me to keep writing the MCU fanfic, then let me know what you would like to see and please... I want criticism. I feel like nobody actually gives me a good critic of the story so far. I want to deliver something good.

Anyway, that's all. I hope I get some replies. I'm sorry for the lack of content, but it's also my fault for creating a lot of fics. See you all later and again, thank you all for the support.

 _ **-The Reaper Only**_


	46. Confessing Feelings

_**So, about the Fanfics. I've come up with a schedule and I will focus on only four fanfics. The rest are done for, forget about them.  
Look, I'll update each Tuesday and I will focus on only one fic per week. The order will be this (It's actually in order from longest to shortest, except the last two):  
**_

 _ **-Our Lives Will Change Forever  
-The Jester of the Family  
-Persona: The Shadow Hunters  
-The True Eater of Gods**_

 _ **A Fanfic per week. I know it will take time for your favorite fics to come out, but I'm working to deliver them earlier. As soon as I finish a chapter I jump to the other, using my free time to finish them. For example, If I have a new chapter of p5 fanfic and at the same time I have p4 fanfic already done, I will update those two stories the same day and the next week I'll update the next on the list and so on. Of course, it will take a couple of weeks until I'll get used to the schedule, but it will work.**_

 _ **Now, as for the chapter at hand... I'll be honest, I had troubles writing it because I wasn't convinced with the way it followed right after the cliffhanger. But I think I manage to deliver a very good follow up. One of the hardest things to write, it's love. We all know love it's complicated and it definitely doesn't end with a kiss. NOW, keep in mind this, I said earlier, way earlier that the story will diverge from the original game (of course, some events will still happen, remember that the interrogation is going so that happen) right after Futaba's Palace and with Haru getting the app earlier and Naoki being part of the team, it will trigger some unexpected events. So I wanted to warn you all that there will be some changes, some big, some small and others... You'll never see them coming.**_

 _ **So that's all, enjoy the chapter and... Please... I want to know what do you think of this chapter in particular. I really want some feedback on this one, please. I've been struggling a little bit, my original idea was discarded because I thought it was too much so I come up with this instead. Leave me a review or PM. Now I'll leave for now. See ya.**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 44: Confessing Feelings**_

 **Kagura's POV**

The silence inside the car was very predominant. We were leaving the Palace for the day and nobody said a single word as we drive away and prepare to exit the Metaverse and call it a day for now... But of course, Ryuji had to say something. Of course, he did, he can't be quiet for that long. I don't really hate him for that, but I wish he knew when he needs to be quiet. He's like a child that doesn't understand when is the right moment to talk. At this point I didn't even bother, I let it slide and to be honest, I'm tired to even tell him to shut up.

"So yeah... I didn't expect you to slap Yusuke right across the face" He said with a smirk and I just look down. Sitting next to me was Yusuke, his left cheek was red, my hand really leave its mark in his face and I think he will never forget that slap for the rest of his life because... I slap him so hard and so suddenly that he fell unconscious for a moment. I feel bad but also scared. I mean, he had to asks me that, the question I didn't want him to ask me, I wanted to be the one to ask and end this, but for some reason I'm starting to panic and my body moves on its own so... yeah, I slap him, very hard, it kinda hurt my hand too. Thank god I didn't punch him in the face, it would make me even more guilty. And yet, he apologies and forgive me... He's so nice, but I don't deserve that. I would be pissed if I was in his shoes... but I'm not him, he's nice, he's loyal... Why? Why I'm having problems to deny my feelings toward him? Why is hurting me so much?

"..." Yusuke sigh and then look at me. "Again, I'm sorry if I upset you"

"... Sorry, I slap you..." I apologize for the first time since I slap him. In fact, it was the first thing I said right after I did it.

"Let's take a day off" Said Akira as he drives away. "I think we can at least have a day off to take a break and prepare. What do you say?" He asks Makoto, but everyone agrees, even myself, ignoring Makoto's opinion. Still, she agrees too, considering that the Palace might be more difficult than we originally thought. We fall in a few traps and we might fall in a lot more as we get closer to the treasure, it feels like that pyramid is one giant trap. Anyway, It didn't take that long to go back to the real world. Once we step outside of Sojiro's house, I walk away from the group in silence, not looking back, not saying goodbye or anything at all. I walk away, looking at my feet as they take me back home. I didn't stop walking until I found myself in front of the door of my apartment but I didn't enter. I stand there like an idiot with that scene repeating endlessly inside my head, Yusuke asking me if I love him and me slapping him without a second thought. I apologize, but I'm feeling worse by the second, not just for the slap, but because he might know for sure how I feel and he wanted to confront me... only for me to attack him. Why I'm like that? Why I end up resorting to violence to face my problems? I don't want to hurt him, I would never hurt him... I really should just say it and end this, besides, I bet he doesn't love me, that would make it easier for me to deal with it.

"Kagura, are you alright?" I jump as I hear Yusuke's voice behind me. I look at him and for some reason, I start blushing.

"I-I-I-I-I'm fine. Just... thinking, nothing more" I look down as I lay on the door. "I'm... really sorry for the slap. I wasn't... thinking... at all. I panic"

"It's... fine. I wasn't thinking either. I just wanted to know and I should've know that this was going to happen" He, like me, look down. We both were ashamed and apologizing to each other, not going anywhere. We stood there, in silence, not knowing how to proceed, not knowing what to say or how to say it. The silence was painful, to say the least, it was like if we were torturing each other for not saying a word. Like if silence was a deadly as a Shadow and we were letting it kill us slowly. I felt my heart beating fast, it hurted and for a moment I had troubles to breathe, but I overcome it as soon as it appear.

"So... We should go inside and..." He was the first to talk and I immediately agree with him.

"Y-Yeah... we should..." I look down, avoiding his eyes.

"Kagura... there's no need to talk about it if you don't want-"

"No!" I quickly interrupt him and look at him with fear. "I-I think we should... talk about it" I turn around and open the door. As we go inside, I walk to the table and sit down. Yusuke did the same, he sits down across the table in silence. Like I was expecting, none of us say a thing, only an awkward silence was present between us. Yusuke sucks up the air and takes the courage I was lacking so far.

"Kagura, about that question... I'm waiting for your answer" He said and yet I was struggling to answer it. Still, there was no reason for me to avoiding that. I took a deep breath, look at him in the eyes, with determination, getting rid of my fears, pushing them aside and finally answer.

"Yusuke... I do love you" I finally said, without hesitation, without fear and without stuttering. I said it, like if it means nothing but in reality, it means a lot. I couldn't stop looking at him in the eyes. I saw him, surprised that I answer so determined. He then look down, like if he was sad... no, ashamed. He look at me and speak again.

"Then why?" He asks. "Why didn't you told me?"

"... I couldn't. I really couldn't. I was afraid... Afraid of admitting something that for the longest time I refuse to fall. For the longest time, I didn't picture myself falling in love... then you appear and for some reason... I can't stop looking at you. I can't stop thinking about you... Why is that? Why is that I'm enjoying having you here? Why... I had to fall for you, of all people?"

"..." Yusuke remain silent as I keep talking.

"It hurted me a lot, it hurted me trying to deny it and... I couldn't tell you how I fell because... What if you feel the same? Will this affect the team? Will this get in the way? Will this be a trouble for everyone else?" I look down and close my fists. "Yusuke... be honest with me right now... Do you love me?" As I ask him that, Yusuke blushed. "If not, it's fine. I can deal with it, just say it so we can end this right now-"

"I love you too" He interrupted me so suddenly. My eyes widen as I look up, our eyes meeting one another as the silence make itself present in the living room again but this wasn't an awkward silence... No, it was joyful, or at least that's how I felt it. The silence didn't last long because Yusuke feels the need to repeat himself. "I love you, Kagura," He said while blushing, but never looking away. "And I hate myself for not realizing about your feelings sooner. I can't believe how oblivious I was, despite living with you and spending time with you I never took notice of it... I wish I would know so that you wouldn't suffer from this hesitation that plagued on your mind"

"... That's one of the things I actually like about you" I chuckle as a tear fall from my eyes. He was surprised to see me crying so out of nowhere and I don't blame him. I don't tend to cry. "I find amusing how clueless are you sometimes," I said as I break into tears, despite my desire to not look weak. I fail miserably and start crying. "I'm actually... happy to know that you love me, but... but I'm not... I'm not... I'm not the girl you should've fallen for"

"Wh-What do you mean?"

"Are you really asking that? Look at me" I open my arms, for Yusuke to take a good look at me. "If I were to choose between myself and another girl, I would pick always the other girl. I'm not worth it. As a lover, I'm not worth anyone's time" I quickly insult myself, much to my own confusion. I didn't even know why I was doing this to myself until a couple of seconds passed that the answer appears so clearly... I didn't want him to love me. Maybe subconsciously I want to make myself miserable, I don't know but then Yusuke said something that not only destroys what I just said but also makes me realize how lucky I am to have him around...

"If you are not of any worth, you would have given up on life already" He said, almost angry at what I just said. I just sit there, looking at him, amazed as my tears didn't stop, they refuse to stop. "Don't talk of you like that, Kagura. You are-" I quickly stand up, making the chair fall to the floor. Yusuke look at me, speechless, as I get closer to him, never breaking eye contact. As soon I found myself right in front of him, I grab him by the collar and kiss him... I stole a kiss from him. He was shocked and confused, not knowing what to do exactly. Quickly that shock disappears, instead of pushing me away, he slowly hugs me as my lips keep touching his. As I kiss him, I felt... free. I felt like the world didn't matter, like if all my problems went away entirely. The kiss, my first kiss, lasted as long as I wanted it to last. Yusuke didn't push me away at all. We kiss for an entire minute. I slowly move my head away from his and look at him in the eyes.

"Thank you, Yusuke. Thank you for caring so much about me" I said with a smile and tears. "I... I'm sorry to worry you. It won't happen again, I promise you" I hug him and he hug me back.

"Thank you, Kagura... I will... do my best to make you happy"

"You don't have to do that, just by being here is enough" Yusuke and I smile at each other, we were getting closer, about to kiss again. This time it was a kiss we both wanted to engage and not of us will stop until we are satisfied. We hug so tightly, embracing each other. My face was red and I was getting excited as my breast are pressed against his chest. I close the little gap between the two of us and our lips slowly connect and- The ringtone of my phone bring us back to reality as our eyes widen, realizing what we were just doing and how far we were willing to go. My eyes never leave Yusuke's surprised eyes as I pick up the phone and look who was calling at this moment. It was Makoto. We slowly let go of each other. I sigh annoyingly and answer the call. I didn't want her to know that I was in a bad mood for destroying the moment so I smile and speak up.

"Hello?" I asks and she immediately replied.

" _Kagura, how are you doing? I hope I didn't interrupt anything_ " As she said that, I look at Yusuke, he was just as embarrassed I was.

"N-No. Everything is fine... Say, there's something important you want to talk about?"

" _We-Well, you leave so suddenly and Yusuke run after you so I wanted to know what happen. Is everything alright? I can go to your apartment so you can tell me everything if you don't want to talk with Yusuke_ "

"No, it's fine. I'm better now. It's just... I had feelings that needed to get out... And I finally let them out... And now I'm feeling better than before" I said that and quickly I hear Makoto arguing with someone.

" _He-Hey! Don't grab my phone like tha- What kind of feeling?!_ " Ann screams so loudly that Yusuke hear her.

"Ann... You were spying on our conversation?"

" _I just needed to know! So, tell me everything!_ " Ann wanted to know that details and quickly jump into conclusions. " _Did he confess to you?! Did you say yes?! Did you two kiss?!_ "

"... Goodbye Ann"

" _No, wait! Don't-_ " I hung up and throw my phone on the table. Yusuke remain quiet for a few seconds before asking.

"So... Ann knows"

"... She's jumping to conclusions... It just happen to be that those conclusions are true... Still, I wasn't planning on hiding this from the group"

"Then shouldn't you call Makoto and tell her what happen? About us?"

"Through the phone? I don't think so. I'll tell her tomorrow, besides, what's the worst thing that could happen? Ann spreading a rumor? Please"

* * *

 **Akira's POV**

"Well, Kagura just run away from us. I can't say I'm surprised" I whisper to myself while Morgana, Ryuji and Naoki walk next to me. The rest of the team, the girls, go their separate ways. We decided to take a walk around Yongen instead of going back to the Cafe. At first, Naoki wasn't going to spend his time with us, but he decided to stay with us because he wanted to pass some time before going back home, it was pretty obvious he has nothing better to do at this point. "I mean... Yusuke just had to go and say that. Sometimes I don't really understand him"

"What I didn't expect was that Kagura slap him so hard she knocked him down. That was hilarious, but it makes me a little more scare of Kagura's strength" Said Ryuji.

"... She's certainly a Tsundere" Said Naoki. "Still, I think they make a cute couple, even though they are so different from each other"

"Well, you know what they say-" I look down at my phone and stop when I saw that I have received several messages from Haru. " _Oh! It's Haru_ " I thought to myself. I check her messages and instantly I got the feeling she was trying to... ask me out on a date. She wrote: " _Hi, Akira... Are you free tomorrow? I wanted to know if you wanted to go to the Bookstore with me tomorrow. And we could go for ice cream too. Just so you know... It's not a date..._ " I got the feeling she was really nervous about asking if I was free tomorrow. Considering what happened today and we all decided to have a day off, I think I'm good to go out tomorrow with her. I really want to spend more time with her, but I don't want her to be so nervous about tomorrow so I answer her.

" _Hello, Haru, I'm free tomorrow. Let's go! :D Meet me in Shibuya tomorrow morning, in front of the bookstore_ " I won't deny that I'm actually excited about tomorrow, but my face didn't show such emotion. Mainly because I didn't want Ryuji to know that I'm seeing a girl. It's not a date, but... Wait... Why was she this nervous about tomorrow? Could it be that she...? Nah, it can't be... But if it is.

"Hey, Akira, something wrong?" Ryuji asks me, a little concerned because I was in deep thought.

"N-No, just a friend asking if I'm free tomorrow" I answer him, casually. My eyes then focus on Morgana, who's even oddly quiet for a while. "Morgana, are you already?" I ask, concern about his silence.

"Yeah, what's up with you? You usually are not so quiet" Said Ryuji.

"Is something troubling you? You can tell us" Naoki get closer to Morgana and kneel to look at him closer.

"Yu..." He whisper.

"Yu?" Naoki asks and Morgana start yelling.

"Yusuke! HOW DARE HIM TO CONFESS TO KAGURA?!"

"... He didn't really confess to her" Said Naoki and Morgana slap him, to our surprise. "Ow!" Luckily for him, Morgana didn't take his claws out when he slap him.

"What do you know?! I can see his intention a mile away! First, he starts living with her, he slowly gets closer to her and then...!" I knew what Morgana was trying to say, but he was exaggerating a lot. I know that before we were part of the group, he and Kagura were on their own. It was then that I realize something... I don't really know their relationship, they are friends sure but, I don't really know that much besides that, they don't really talk about their time as Phantom Thieves before we appear. Maybe it was not worth mentioning, but I kinda wanted to know.

"Dude, chill out" Ryuji sigh. "Yusuke is not like that. Besides, what do you care? Don't tell me you have a crush on Kagura"

"I don't have a crush on her! It's just... just..." Morgana shake. "You wouldn't get it"

"Try it, maybe I will" Said Ryuji. We hear his phone buzzing and he pick up the call. "Hello? Ah! Don't scream at my ear, Ann! The hell is your problem?" As Ryuji argue with Ann, Naoki talk with Morgana.

"Listen, Morgana. There's no reason for you to get angry at this. Besides, if Kagura and Yusuke love each other then there's no reason for us to step in and stop them"

"... I-I suppose" Morgana looks down, disappointed. "Bu-But, I still won't accept it until Yusuke proves me he's good enough for her!"

"What are you? Her father?" I asks. "Don't do anything unnecessary" At that moment, Ryuji hung up and scratch his head.

"What did Ann wanted?" Naoki asked.

"Well, apparently... Ann is trying to call Kagura and from the little conversation they had, she assume this... Kagura and Yusuke are, probably alone at home, kissing" He said so calmly but Morgana freaked out immediately.

"He what?! That's it! I'm going!" Morgana was about to run away but Naoki picks him up. "Hey! Let go of me!" Ryuji lightly hit Morgana in the back of his head.

"I said she " _assume_ ". Besides, when it comes to couples she might overreact"

"... What do you say if just in case we go to check on them" Said Naoki. "I mean, either way, if they start dating or not, we should support them and talk with them"

"I don't know, man. If we go, maybe Kagura will kick us out either way"

"Well... I live in the same building so... I'm going. If any of you want to follow me..." Naoki walk away and I look at Ryuji.

"He's curious... So am I" I said, not really proud of it. "We'll come up with an excuse. I just hope she's not in a bad mood"

"I wouldn't be surprised if she was" Ryuji whispers and we all walk to Kagura's apartment...


	47. Little Time Off

_**So, you may be wondering why this chapter is shorter and why it came up a day earlier. If not, that's fine. But you should know this, tomorrow, Tuesday, it's my birthday XD Not only that, but I had two birthdays last Saturday and I didn't have time to write. So, enjoy this little chapter while I enjoy my birthday XD**_

 _ **Oh, before I go, I wanted to ask you all a few questions. What is your opinion about Akechi as a whole? I want to know what you think about him, you love him, you hate him, and why. Personally, I have mix feelings about him, I like him, but I also hate him a little bit.**_

 _ **Second, this one is related to the story. I said that I will somewhat diverge from the main story, that's still gonna happen. Still, some things will remain the same, mainly Palaces and some events but not all of them, some might not even happen in the first place (Sae's Palace is still happening for obvious reasons). But I'm taking this opportunity to ask you about the last OC Palace I made. I want to know what do you think and what things I can improve. Also, I want to know what do you think of Naoki. I do have a pairing for him, but I'm keeping that a secret for a few more chapters.**_

 _ **Third, I'm going to do my best to keep Kagura's and Yusuke's romance believable. It's just that it's hard to write romance for me. I had write romance before, but not with two characters that looked so incompatible and almost impossible to be together. I manage to do it (who knows how I did it, it's a fricking miracle). If any of you have a piece of advice about romance or any suggestion about the pair in the story, is more than welcome.**_

 _ **And fourth... This is not a question, but a statement... I'm not adding Kazumi Yoshizawa. I don't think I should explain myself about this one.**_

 _ **Please, let me know in the reviews what do you think, now enjoy this little chapter.**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 45: Little Time Off**_

 **Kagura's POV**

I was in the kitchen with tea already served. I grab the two cups and bring them to the table in the living room where Yusuke was sitting. I place a cup right in front of him and I sit next to him. As we drink in silence, I was thinking about what to say to strike a conversation. The silence between us became a little awkward after the call from Makoto, like if the excitement we just had died and was a little embarrassed to talk about it. It was safe to say that we are a couple now, but we are still new to the whole thing. For now, we are taking it slow, at least that's what we agreed.

"So, I haven't been able to ask this before but... Akira's been helping you with a painting, didn't he?" I ask and he answers right away, a little too excited to talk about it.

"Ah yes! We went to Mementos, I needed some inspiration. I'm signing my painting to an exhibition next month and I want you to be there. Akira will be there too, he was the one that helps me with the idea" He speaks with excitement. I can't deny that I'm finding it amusing when he's talking like that. He exaggerates, but not on purpose and that makes him a little charming... I suppose. Still, I think it might get a little too annoying later, but I don't think I want him to stop doing that. That's how he is and I don't want him to change.

"I'll be there, Yusuke. I wouldn't miss it. Still, are you making this new painting here?"

"No, I'm keeping it in school. It's too big to keep in my room and I don't want to accidentally destroy it by moving it from place to place" He explains. "Besides, I don't want to bother you or your mother with such a huge piece of art on the way"

"I-It's fine. I don't think it would be a problem. Mom is not here that often and when she is here, she's sleeping" I said. "Then again, thanks for the concern. Speaking of which, what are you going to do with the " _other_ " painting" I didn't wanted to say "My Painting" because it sounded wrong.

"Oh, I'm actually thinking of present it in another exhibition... But of course, I wanted your permission. This isn't only my painting, but yours as well. Without you, that beautiful painting would be nothing more than a white canvas, waiting to be painted"

"I... Didn't thought about it that way. Sure, you have my permission. It would be a shame to not share that painting. Maybe... Maybe we should show it to the group later. I bet they would love it" I suggest and Yusuke nodded.

"I can't wait to see their expression"

" _... I bet Makoto will be the more surprised of them all_ " I thought. I pick up my cup and was about to drink my tea when suddenly someone knocked on the door very loudly, which make me spill some of the tea on the table. "God fucking dammit..." I whisper. " _Please, do not be Ryuji, do not be Ryuji, do not be-_ "

"Hey, Kagura! Are you there?" Ryuji yell from the other side and I put my cup down and then hit the table.

"But of course she told Ryuji!"

"I don't think it should be something you should be too concern about" Said Yusuke calmly. "Besides, we were planning on telling them. It doesn't really matter if it's now or tomorrow" He was not wrong, but what it really bothers me is that she told him so fast. "Should I get the door?"

"No, I'll do it. It's my house after all" I stand up and walk to the door. As soon as I open it, Morgana jump right on top of me. "What the hell?!"

"Kagura tell me it's a lie! Tell me that Ann was only joking! TELL ME YOU AND YUSUKE WERE NOT AT EACH OTHER'S LIPS!" He yell and I look at Ryuji. He was with Akira and Naoki. Looks like they all know now. I sigh and grab Morgana, only to hang him to Akira.

"Just get inside, we'll speak about it" I said, not in the best mood. "And just for the record, if any of you start yelling, I will literally kick you out of the apartment!" I was angry, that was for sure, but it was more than an annoyance than full blown anger. When they all sit down I went right to the point, I wanted to get this over with. "Yusuke and I are dating now. Is that what you want me to say? Are you happy?"

"... I was curious, I'm sorry if I was bothering you" Naoki apologies to me, it was expected from him.

"Well, I mean, Ann call me and told me about you and Yusuke. Of course, she was jumping to conclusions, but we were curious. Sorry if we were interrupting something" Ryuji apologies too.

"Don't worry, we were just talking. Also, I made some tea, if you want-" I explain but then a weird thought cross my mind. "Wait... Don't tell me you thought we were doing something else..." I blushed a little. The mere thought of me and Yusuke kissing and then... Why suddenly that image was brought to my head?!

"H-Huh? N-No! Of course not! But, I mean, umm..." He then whisper to Akira for help. "Pss, Akira, say something!"

"..." Akira remain quiet. For a moment I thought he was enjoying Ryuji's predicament.

"Come on, dude!" Ryuji yelled.

"Can you stop yelling?" I said. "We are not at Leblanc. Neighbors will hear you. I'm warning you, I will KICK you out"

"S-S-Sorry"

"Besides, let's not fight over this. I'm not in the mood to start a fight now or be mad at you like I always do... I'm actually angry at Ann now for opening her mouth"

"We were going to know eventually, you shouldn't be angry at her" Said Naoki. "What's important here is what you two feel, you shouldn't care about what the others say" I was surprised at Naoki's words. I wouldn't expect him to say something like that. I should give him so credit, he maybe knows a thing or two about love. Maybe I should ask him for advice... I can't really ask Makoto or Ann. "Speaking of which, congrats to you two. Both of you make a cute couple"

"C-Cute?" Yusuke and I said at the same time, both of us blushing. "I-I-I wouldn't call us cute" I try to cover my face a little, I was as red as a tomato.

"Seeing you blushing like that is really weird," Said Ryuji. "You are always like... in a really bad mood, like if you wanted to punch the wall"

"... Do I really give that impression? That can't be, right guys?" I ask and to my surprise, nobody dare to say a word. "G-Guys?" I then turn to Yusuke. "Do I really give that impression, Yusuke?"

"Well, you do act violently sometimes. Recently not so much, you are calmer, but when I first met you, you were more on that side. But the way I look at it, it was really passionate anger. Maybe I should replicate that into a painting"

"Pl-Please, don't"

"Am I the only one that's against this outcome?!" Said Morgana.

"Yes" We all said at the same time.

* * *

 **Sojiro's POV**

It took me by surprise the number of people that suddenly enter the Cafe. Of course, they didn't stay for long and now I found myself alone again. The only company I had was the TV and the news that each passing day is becoming more and more saturated with Psychotic Breakdown incidents or the Phantom Thieves. Seriously, those were the only thing people talked about. To me it was something I shouldn't pay too much attention and to be honest, I don't care. The world is changing too fast for me. I sigh at the thought of going old and staying behind while the world change at a pace I can't keep up with, but at that moment the door open and I was brought back to reality. I look up and saw Naomi at the door, she smile at me and I return the smile. She then walks to the bar and sits right in front of me.

"Looks like you need some company, isn't it Sojiro?" She asks and I chuckled.

"Not really, but if you don't mind spending your time here then we can talk" I then prepare to take her order. "What would you take?"

"I don't know" Naomi look around. To me, she looked a little tired. It wasn't that late, in fact, the sun was not down yet, it was very bright outside but to her to look tired, something must be bothering her or she didn't sleep that well, to begin with. "How about a Cappuccino?"

"Coming right up," I said and begin. While I prepare her order, I look at her from time to time. She did look noticeably tired today. I finish and put the cup right in front of her. She took a moment to smell the Cappucino and slowly drink it. Her eyes come to life when she took the first sip. Like if this what she needed to fully wake up.

"Ahh, this is what I just needed" Naomi sigh in relief and I was happy. Not so many people come and enjoy my coffee as much as she does.

"So, did something happen?" I ask

"I couldn't sleep tonight. I have some things in my mind and I couldn't sleep because of it. *sigh* Sometimes I worry too much about things I shouldn't be worrying too much. Did you get that feeling too right? Things that you know you shouldn't pay too much attention, but in the end, there's this little voice in your head telling you otherwise. That you should worry because it might come back to bite you"

"... I did get that feeling before. But that happened a really long time. So, what's this thing you are too worried about?"

"Nothing you should worry about. It's something stupid" She quickly dismisses it. "Besides, I bet you have more problems than I do right now" She took another sip of her cup. "How's she? Futaba, I mean" Of the few people I know, she's the only one I talk about Futaba freely. She even got to see her once, only for Futaba to close the door right on her face. New faces really scare her.

"Like always, she hasn't changed one bit... Speaking of which, I had to tell Kagura about Futaba, so she already knows... Akira too... and that little group of theirs" I wasn't surprised by Naomi's expression.

"Woah, really? Why?"

"Akira got too curious and drag them all. That happens. Not only that, but that woman had to come at business hours and let everything out"

"Don't worry. You couldn't keep it a secret from him forever. Besides, I should've tell Kagura about Futaba. Those two would've become friends at least"

"Well, as far as I know, they are keeping their distance. They do look like they want to help her, if they manage to make her leave her room then I'll be in their debt. I know I can't do anything about it. She's hard to deal with sometimes"

"I felt the exact same way when I was raising Kagura. Don't worry, things will get better. I'm sure of it"

"... Let's see about that... By the way, Kagura's birthday is right around the corner, isn't it?"

"Yes! And I have the perfect present for her! I bet she would love it"

"Ohoho, and what would that be?"

"It's. a. secret" Naomi winked at me. "You have to wait and see! By the way, you are invited to the party. Of course, she doesn't want a party, but I'm preparing one in secret. I'll have to talk with Makoto and the rest of her friends to get everything ready. Don't forget, this Sunday, July 31. I'll try to talk with her friends about the surprise party as soon as possible" Naomi was way too excited about this surprise party. I can see it in her eyes. It was like looking at a child. I'm happy for her.

"Hehe, I'll try to be there"


End file.
